Typically early June to late July, with peak
mid-June through mid-July.
In season now
now
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Hatched chalk = early and late shoulders; solid = peak.
University of Arkansas bred many of the varieties in u-pick rows nationwide.
At a glance
Early
From early June —
first pickings, lighter supply, best prices come later.
Peak
mid-June through mid-July — full stalls,
full flavor. This is the stretch to plan around.
Late
Through late July — quantity for
preserving, and the stalls start dealing.
Season length
about 9 weeks end to end, shoulders included.
U-pick blackberries in Arkansas
Long sleeves beat thorny rows; keep buckets shallow and expect stained fingers. The picking window tracks the band above: early
trips get clean fields, peak (mid-June through mid-July) is the sure bet,
late season is for quantity.
Farm-to-farm variation is real — up to two weeks either side of
the typical window. Plan the trip,
then call the farm before you drive.
Blackberries
Look
Dull, deep black with fat, fully rounded drupelets; a shiny black berry is close but still a day or two tart.
Feel
Ripe fruit pulls free with barely a tug, plug and all, and feels soft without leaking juice.
Smell
A sweet, winey scent along the row means the patch is at peak; underripe berries smell green or of nothing.
Tip
Taste one first; color runs ahead of flavor on blackberries, so pick only berries that release without a fight.
Keeps
Refrigerate unwashed in a shallow container and use within two to three days.
Chasing the season?
Blackberry peak moves across the map.
After this window, it lands next in:
In Arkansas, the blackberry season typically runs early June to late July, with peak availability mid-June through mid-July. Exact weeks shift a little with each year's weather.
When should I go u-pick blackberries in Arkansas?
Aim for peak: mid-June through mid-July. An early trip around early June gets first choice of clean fields; a late one is for jam-and-freezer quantity. Any single farm can run up to two weeks either side of the chart — call before you drive.
How long does blackberry season last in Arkansas?
about 9 weeks end to end — early June to late July. The early and late shoulders are real but lighter; the solid stretch of chalk on the band is the sure bet.