Key takeaways
- The modern corn maze was born in 1993 in Annville, Pennsylvania.
- Mazes are planned as aerial artwork and cut using GPS when the corn is young.
- Famous mazes include Richardson Adventure Farm (IL) and Cool Patch Pumpkins (CA).
- Try a flashlight or haunted night maze : and agree on a meeting point first.
Few autumn experiences are as satisfying : or as mildly panic-inducing : as getting lost in a corn maze. Towering stalks, dead ends, rustling leaves and the distant laughter of other lost visitors make it a perfect Halloween-season adventure for every age.
A young tradition
Hedge mazes are centuries old, but the corn maze is a modern American invention. In 1993, maze designer Adrian Fisher and Broadway producer Don Frantz created a maze in a cornfield in Annville, Pennsylvania. It was a hit, and within a few years farms across North America were cutting their own. Today hundreds of farms offer corn mazes every fall, and the maze has become a key part of agritourism : a way for farms to earn income beyond the harvest.
How a corn maze is made
- Design (winter and spring). A designer draws an image : often a giant picture visible only from the air : and builds a network of paths, dead ends and bridges into it. Themes range from pumpkins and witches to state anniversaries and local sports teams.
- Planting (spring). The farmer plants the field densely, often in two directions, so the walls are thick.
- Cutting (early summer). When the corn is a few inches to about a foot tall, crews mark the paths using GPS or a surveyed grid, then mow, till or hand-cut them.
- Growing (summer). The corn grows to 8–12 feet, closing in the paths.
- Opening (September–November). Farms add signage, checkpoints, bridges and staff.
Many farms work with specialist maze design companies, and some sell aerial photos of their maze each season.
Famous corn mazes
| Farm | Location | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Richardson Adventure Farm | Spring Grove, Illinois | One of the largest corn mazes in the world, with miles of trails and observation towers |
| Cool Patch Pumpkins | Dixon, California | Has held a Guinness World Record for the largest corn maze |
| Sever's Corn Maze | Shakopee, Minnesota | A Twin Cities fall tradition with a festival around it |
| Treinen Farm | Lodi, Wisconsin | Creative, artistic designs and night mazes |
| Lyman Orchards | Middlefield, Connecticut | A long-running New England maze, paired with an orchard |
| The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island | Portland, Oregon | A popular Pacific Northwest maze |
| Dewberry Farm | Brookshire, Texas | A big Texas fall festival maze |
Many more farms have excellent mazes : look for them in your state's agritourism listings, and see America's Best Pumpkin Patches for regional farms.
Types of mazes
- Classic maze : find your way from entrance to exit.
- Checkpoint maze : collect stamps or punches at hidden stations.
- Trivia maze : answer questions at junctions to learn which way to turn.
- Kids' maze : small, short-walled and impossible to get truly lost in.
- Flashlight maze : the same maze after dark, with only your flashlight.
- Haunted maze : actors and effects lurk in the corn; usually for older kids and adults.
- Phone or app mazes : some farms offer games or clues on your phone.
Night and haunted mazes
On October weekends, many farms open their mazes after dark. Flashlight mazes are spooky but family-friendly. Haunted corn mazes are a different beast : costumed actors, chainsaws (chain removed), fog and strobes. Check age guidance; most aren't recommended for young children. For more frights, see America's Best Haunted Houses.
How to beat the maze
- Grab the map if one is offered : and keep it.
- Look for landmarks : towers, bridges, the farmhouse roof.
- The hand-on-the-wall rule works only for simple mazes; most corn mazes have loops and islands that defeat it.
- Take photos at junctions to retrace your steps.
- Use bridges and towers to get a bird's-eye view.
- Don't cut through the corn : it damages the maze and the farmer's crop.
- Ask a maze staffer if you're truly stuck; many mazes have "flag" systems for help.
What to bring
- A charged phone with the farm's number saved
- Water and a snack
- Closed-toe shoes : paths can be muddy
- Layers : mazes can be warm by day and chilly at dusk
- A flashlight for night mazes
- A designated meeting point in case the group splits
Safety for families
- Keep small children within sight; tall corn hides them quickly.
- Teach kids to stay put and call out if lost.
- Check allergies : corn pollen and dust affect some visitors.
- Pace yourself; big mazes can take two hours or more.
Combine with a farm day
Most corn mazes sit alongside pumpkin fields, hayrides and cider stands. Plan the whole day with How to Plan the Perfect Family Pumpkin-Patch Day and Halloween Farm Adventures, or turn a regional maze tour into a road trip with Halloween in the Midwest.
Questions & answers
When was the first corn maze made?
The first modern corn maze is generally credited to a 1993 design by maze designer Adrian Fisher and theater producer Don Frantz in Annville, Pennsylvania. Corn mazes spread rapidly across North America after that.
How are corn mazes made?
Designers create an image, often for viewing from the air, and convert it into a path map. When the corn is a few inches to a foot tall in early summer, crews use GPS or a surveyed grid to cut or till the paths. The corn then grows up around them to eight to twelve feet by fall.
How long does it take to get through a corn maze?
Most farm mazes take 30 minutes to two hours, depending on their size, complexity and how many games or checkpoints you complete. Very large mazes can take longer.
What is the trick to solving a maze?
In a simple maze with connected walls, keeping one hand on the same wall will eventually lead you out, but corn mazes often have islands and bridges that defeat this. Use the map if provided, note landmarks, and look for elevated bridges or viewing towers to orient yourself.
Maze designs, sizes and hours change every year. Confirm details, night-maze dates and age guidance with each farm before visiting.