Twisted trilobite tops list of state corn mazes
Angie Treinen wants you to get lost in her family’s corn maze — at least for a little bit.
“I always ask people if they got lost, and if they say no, then I’m like, well I’m going to make it harder next year,” she said. “You want that sweet spot of lost enough that they had to struggle to figure out where they’re at, and strategize and think. I think when people are thinking and have to figure things out, they’re having a better experience — to a point.”
Since 2001 Treinen has designed an intricate corn maze on her family’s farm near Lodi, which has been in her husband, Alan’s, family for three generations.
This year she collaborated with an outside group for the first time, working with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Geology Museum to create a maze in the shape of a trilobite, the state fossil.
The unique design has garnered attention from everyone from the Smithsonian to local geology college students.
The maze, which she called a “cabinet of curiosities,” also includes a honey bee, the state insect; galena, the state mineral; a nautiloid shell; and a microscope owned by Charles Van Hise, the first person to earn a PhD at UW-Madison (in geology).
“It worked really well, not only does it make a good maze — some of this stuff is super challenging – but (the Geology Museum) brought out a cabinet, they made a cabinet that sort of looks like this,” she said.
The museum has brought artifacts to the farm on weekends, including a cast of a trilobite that is on display at the museum — the largest trilobite ever found.
Visitors can gawk at the ancient sea creature and learn while exploring the rest of the farm’s autumn offerings, from a pumpkin patch and horse-drawn wagon rides to a recycled tire jungle gym and a new “Play in the Wild” area.
“I wanted to have a space that’s literally trees, wood, mud, rocks, sticks — so if you want you can take your kids up there and just let them play in the woods,” Treinen said. “When you have kids and you want to take them into nature, usually your options, if you don’t happen to have a farm, are to go to a trail. But then you want them to stay on the trail, because you don’t want them to trample all the plants and stuff. But this is more like what my kids were used to, which is, you can play in the woods.”
Treinen said the maze is best for older kids and adults. Younger kids will enjoy the farm’s other activities as well as a children’s maze that is completely fenced so nobody gets lost in the stalks.
Fun for kids and adults alike is a common goal at farms across the state that welcome visitors in fall to explore corn mazes. Many are open into the evening for flashlight hikes, and some offer extras like haunted hikes.
Note that most of these farms do not allow pets, and some close during inclement weather. Check websites and Facebook pages before you head out.
Here are 10 options around Wisconsin.
Treinen Farm, Lodi
Visitors get a section of a map of the maze and must navigate to specific points to find the other segments. There are also secret locations hidden in the maze, with prizes for those who find them.
The maze is open late on Friday and Saturday nights for a flashlight stroll, and the farm has bonfire pits available for reservation for warming up after.
On Oct. 28, zombies will invade the maze for a creepy experience from 7 p.m. to midnight.
Hours: 3-10:30 p.m. (last maze entry at 9 p.m.) Friday, 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. (last maze entry at 9 p.m.) Saturday, 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (last maze entry at 5 p.m.) Sunday through Oct. 29. Hayrides to the pumpkin patch are offered until 5 p.m. each day. The corn maze and playgrounds will also be open Nov. 3-5 and Nov. 10-12.
Cost: $17.95 for everything, kids 3-5 are $10, 2 and under are free. Visitors can also purchase tickets to just the maze ($10), pumpkin patch ($12) or farm ($6).
Location and contact info: W12420 State Road 60, Lodi; (608) 622-7407, treinenfarm.com
Schuster’s Farm, Deerfield
Schuster’s Farm, east of Madison, keeps its 20-acre maze open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in October for everyone to explore by flashlight. The farm also has a Haunted Forest (recommended for ages 13 and up) open Fridays and Saturdays in October.
The maze also has ties to UW-Madison: its design features Bucky Badger and Camp Randall, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.
In addition to the maze, the farm has a pumpkin patch, animals, gemstone mining, pig races, a candy cannon and more kids activities.
Hours: The maze and farm activities are open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekends through Oct. 31. The forest is open from dark until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Note that some activities are only available on the weekend.
Cost: $6 during the week, $10 on the weekend. The forest is $18 on Friday and $20 on Saturday. The flashlight corn maze is $6.
Location and contact info: 1326 Highway 12 & 18, Deerfield; (608) 764-8488, schustersfarm.com
Basse’s Taste of Country Farm Market, Colgate
One of the first farms in the state to offer a corn maze in 1998, this year’s 20th anniversary design features A-Maze-ing Cars. The farm’s dozens of other attractions, from a train and giant jumping pillows to wagon rides to a pumpkin patch, give it almost amusement-park status.
Hours: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on weekends; 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. during the week through Oct. 31.
Cost: $11.99 per person (kids under 2 are free); seniors 65 and older and military are $9.99. Some activities have an additional cost.
Location and contact info: 3190 County Line Road, Colgate; (262) 628-3866, bassefarms.com
Meuer Farm, Chilton
Elvis gets some burnin’ love at the Meuer Farm corn maze this year. Other activities include a pumpkin patch, hayrides, an animal area, corn cannons and an 80-foot tube slide.
Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-dusk Sunday through Oct. 29.
Cost: The daytime corn maze is $8 for those 12 and up, $6 for kids 3-11 and free for 2 and under. The night maze is $10 and $8, which includes a glow stick. The hayride is $6 and $4. A combo ticket is $12 and $8.
Dress up like Elvis (a full costume, no half-effort deals) and receive free admission this year.
Location and contact info: N2564 Highway 151, Chilton; (920) 418-2676, meuerfarm.com
Creek Bed Country Farmacy, Poynette
More than 6 miles of trails on 18 acres create a maze ode to Sherlock Holmes at this farm north of Madison. It claims to be the state’s largest, with 10 digital QR code checkpoints that allow you to compare your time completing the maze with others’.
The farm also has a pumpkin patch, hay wagon rides, a gunny sack slide and more kids activities.
Hours: 4-9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, through Oct. 29.
Cost: $12 for ages 13 and up, $10 for kids ages 3-12, free for kids 2 and under. Pumpkins cost extra and range from $2 to $7.
Location and contact info: N2767 Mountford Road, Poynette; (608) 635-8798, creekbedcountryfarmacy.com
Leatherberry Acres, Baraboo
This farm salutes nearby Circus World with its 12-acre maze. There’s also a small maze for little ones, a pumpkin patch, a straw bale maze, barrel train rides, a giant slide, a petting zoo and more.
Hours: 2-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday, through Oct. 29.
Cost: $18 for ages 15 and up, $12 for ages 7 to 14, $6 for kids 3-6 and free for those 2 and under. The pumpkin patch only is $8 per person.
Location and contact info: 54067 County Road A, Baraboo; (608) 963-1120, leatherberryacres.com
Schuett Farms, Mukwonago
Beef: It’s what’s for entertainment at this maze north of Mukwonago. Use your smartphone to navigate to checkpoints in the 9-acre maze shaped like a cow and a farmer, then enjoy other farm activities including a pumpkin patch, hay rides and pumpkin launchings.
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, with a night corn maze (bring your own flashlight) from 6 to 9 p.m. Hay rides run on Saturdays and Sundays. Cost: $5 for the daytime maze, $8 at night. Location and contact info: State Highway 83 & Road X, Mukwonago; (262) 968-4348, schuettfarm.com
Mayr Family Farm, DeForest
On the first weekend in October, proceeds from this maze went to AgrAbility of Wisconsin, an organization that assists farmers with disabilities. The annual benefit weekend honors the family’s daughter, Amanda, who passed away in 1999.
The 7-acre maze is shaped like a tractor, and on Saturdays in October it’s haunted at night. There’s also a pumpkin patch and wagon rides.
Hours: 4-9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Saturday (haunted at night), 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, through Oct. 29.
Cost: $8 for ages 12 and up, $6 for kids ages 4-11, free for kids 3 and under for the daytime maze; the haunted maze is $12. Military get halfprice admission for the daytime maze.
Location and contact info: 3680 Egre Road, DeForest; (608) 577-7813, mayrfamilyfarm.com
Hidden Trails Corn Maze, West Salem
Man’s best friend is welcome at this farm on one weekend, Oct. 21-22, during Dog Daze at the Maze. Humans can explore the 12-acre cornfield, which has four separate mazes, on their own the rest of the season. Other attractions include a pumpkin patch, farm animals and a barrel train.
Hours: 1-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday (maze only), 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Cost: $9 for ages 11 and up, $6 for ages 4-10, kids 3 and under are free.
Location and contact info: W4704 Highway 16, West Salem; (608) 786-2489, hiddentrailscornmaze.com
Govin’s Farm, Menomonie
Who knows if there’s actually a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, but there is an actual pot of prizes hidden within this bee-themed maze. Anyone who finds the honey pot (through Oct. 15) is entered to win more than $500 in prizes.
The farm also has a pumpkin patch, farm animals and more kids’ activities.
Hours: 4-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday (last ticket sold at 9 p.m. both days), 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday (last ticket sold at 4 p.m.). Cost: $11 for ages 5 and up, $4 for ages 2-4. Location and contact info: N6134 670th St., Menomonie; (715) 231-2377, govinsfarm.com