Pick a pumpkin, meander in a maze, and get some photos
My favorite fall family photo is of my daughter at 18 months, poking her head out of a pile of red, orange and yellow New England leaves.
The following year, the photo I remember most is of her trying to pick up a pumpkin that was bigger than she was, her little face scrunched with determination.
Lexi’s favorite fall photo is the one of her, as a teenager, dressed as an inflatable pig for a Halloween party at school.
The message here: Fall is a fantastic time to create memories —
plus boost your social media presence — and Colorado offers a wide variety of backdrops.
Some of the larger operations: ANDERSON FARMS Fall Festival: Through Oct. 31. Hours: Saturdays 9 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Mondays-wednesdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thursdays 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fridays 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Prices: Monday through Thursdays, $10, Oct. 28-30, $14, all other Fridays-sundays $16, children under 3 free. Admission includes 30-acre corn maze, plus smaller maze for children 2-8, hayride to the 30-acre pumpkin patch, and more. Pumpkins priced between $2 and $12. Terror in the Corn & Zombie Paintball Hunt With Haunted Hayride and Ghost Town, through Oct. 29. Admission to each attraction: Thursdays $22, Fridays-sundays, $25, combo tickets to both, $40 and $45. Hours: Thursdays 7 to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 7 to 11 p.m. 6728 County Road 3 1/4, Erie. 303-828-5210, andersonfarms.com
THE BARTELS FARM
Pumpkin patch, corn maze, vegetable stand and more on a working farm. Free admission includes pumpkin patch, mini straw maze, farm animals, Punkin Chunkin’, hay rides ($2 per person) and more. Corn maze $6 for kids, $8 adults, 5 and under free. Group rates. Hours 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Oct. 31. 3424 E. Douglas Road (County Road 54), Fort Collins. 970-4933853, thebartelsfarm.com.
BOTANIC GARDENS AT CHATFIELD
Pumpkin Festival: Oct. 13-15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Admission $8 for adults, $6 for children 3-12 (other pricing available). Ticket price includes 10-acre pumpkin patch, hayrides, family activities, music, mini corn maze and more. Corn Maze: Find your way through acorn maze on 7 acres, through Oct. 29. Admission $14 for adults, $11 children 3-12. Discounts for members. Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. End times listed are last ticket sold. (Note: On Oct. 13-14, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., and on Sunday, Oct. 15, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., you will need to purchase a ticket to the Pumpkin Festival to gain entry to Corn Maze.) After Dark Corn Maze: Find your way through the maze with only a glow stick. (This maze is not haunted.) Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 6-28, 7-11 p.m.; Thursdays, Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, 7 to 10 p.m.; Sundays, Oct. 15, 22 and 29, 7-10 p.m. Admission $14 for adults; $11 children 3-12. Discounts for members. Dead Zone Scream Park: Admission of $27 ($37 Fast Pass) gets you into the Corn Stalkers Haunted Maze, After Dark Maze and a haunted hayride. Ages 13 and up. Oct. 6-28, 7 to 11 p.m.; Thursdays, Oct. 19, Oct. 26, 7 to 10 p.m.; Sundays, Oct. 15, 22, 29, 7 to 10 p.m. End times listed are last ticket sold; events close 1 hour after times listed. 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton. 720-865-3501. More details at botanicgardens.org/events.
COLON ORCHARDS
Pumpkin patch and corn maze, plus farm stand with a variety of produce and decor for sale. Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through December, with farm stand open until 6. Admission to the patch and corn maze $8 a person (includes pumpkin), and kids 5 and under free (not including pumpkin). Corn maze for ages 10 and under. 3175 Grandview Ave., Cañon City. 719-275-6359
COLORADO PUMPKIN PATCH
Pumpkin patch, straw bale pyramid, rope maze, target shooting, petting zoo, pony rides, hay rides, corn box, jumping pillow and more. Opens Oct. 7. Admission $8.50-$11; kids 2 and under free. Pony rides, face painting, concessions additional fee. Group rates. Hours: 9 to 5 p.m. Oct. 7-Oct. 15; 9 to 1 p.m. Oct. 16-18; 9 to 5 p.m. Oct. 19-22; 9 to 1 p.m. Oct. 23-25; and 9 to 5 p.m. Oct. 26-29. Group rates. 17405 Walden Way, Colorado Springs; 719-799-6708 or 720-770-0142; coloradopumpkinpatch.net
COTTONWOOD FARM
Halloween Pumpkin Patch Fall Festival: Hours 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. through Oct. 31. Free admission. Attractions include a pumpkin patch, 2-acre corn maze, straw bale maze for the younger children, and hay rides ($3 per person on Saturdays and Sundays). 1535 N. 75th St., Boulder, 720-890-4766; cottonwoodfarms.com
DIANA’S PUMPKIN PATCH AND CORN MAZE
Pumpkin patch and corn maze, corn bin, hay slide, hay rides, duck races and more. Seasonal items such as decorative squashes and gourds, Indian corn, straw bales for sale on this working farm. Fridays 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (last admission 8 p.m.), Sundays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (last admission 5 p.m.) through Oct. 31. Group admissions Mondays through Thursdays by appointment. Groups welcome. Admission $10 per person (includes pumpkins while they last), 5 and under free (no pumpkin), $25 for season pass. 1649 Poplar Ave., Canon City; 719-821-9133, dianaspumpkinpatch.com
FRITZLER’S CORN MAZE
Corn Maze and pumpkin patch, plus fall festival events through Oct. 31. Nonscary attractions include pedal go-carts, barrel train, paintball, jumbo jumper and hay climb, slide rides and courtyard activities. Combo event pricing from $13 to $24. For ages 3-10. Haunted combo tickets, which include a non-scary and scary sides of the corn maze, Scream Acres, a ghost hunt, Rat Roller and more (age 11 and up) from $25 to $62 (for a season pass). Hours: Fridays 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturdays 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sundays noon-5 p.m. (no haunted corn maze), and starting Oct. 12, open Wednesdays and Thursdays 6-9 p.m. 20861 County Road 33, Lasalle. For specific pricing, go to fritzlermaze.com.
MAZZOTTI FARMS
Pumpkin patch and scare-free corn maze, petting zoo, scarecrows and more on working farm. Admission $10, children under 2 free, includes one pumpkin per person. Hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends only through October. School field trips on weekdays. 24120 Weld County Road 8, Hudson. 303-536-4089, mazzottifarms.com
MILLER FARMS
Fall festival includes a pumpkin patch, tractor rides, hay rides, Antique Alley, petting zoo, giant jumping pillow, hay pyramid and more. Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through mid-november. Admission to the farm is $2. Harvest Ride admission $20 per person, children 4-12 $15, 3 and under free. Group rates available. Load up four bags with produce from this working farm — including pumpkins, potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, Indian corn, squash, peppers and more — with price of admission. Stack a wagon sale $35. 13912 CR 19, Platteville. 970-785-6133; millerfarms.net
MILE HIGH FARMS
Pumpkin patch and corn mazes, tractor hay ride, play castle, farmer’s playground and more on a working farm, through Oct. 29. Pumpkins 80 cents per pound up to 40 pounds, 55 cents per pound thereafter. Admission $14 adults, $10 ages 4-12, 3 and under free, $10 seniors and military. Group rates. Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 11 Cavanaugh Road, Bennett. 303-344-2676, milehighfarms.com
MOON FARM
Pumpkin patch, petting zoo, straw maze, corn maze, hayride, Haunted Castle and Creepy Clown Castle. Pumpkins sold by size. Hours 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays through Saturdays, through Oct. 31. Admission $7 per person, 4 and under free. 1360 18 1/2 Road, Fruita. 970-8587176, moonfarm.net
ROCK CREEK FARM
Pumpkin patch and corn maze, farm animals, hay bales and more family activities. Hours: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Extended hours for corn maze on Fridays and Saturday, until 10 p.m., through Oct. 31. Pumpkin prices vary, from $1 for wee-be-little pumpkins to $25 for four field pumpkins. Corn maze $9 age 12 and up, 4-11 $6 and children under 4 free (12 and under must be accompanied by a parent). Bring your own flashlights. No pets. 2005 S. 112th St., Broomfield. 303-4659565, rockcreekfarm.com
STUDT’S PUMPKIN PATCH AND CORN MAZE
Pumpkin jump, hay mountain with kids’ slide, horse-drawn hayrides, animal train, pony rides, zipline, bird aviary, petting zoo and more, through Oct. 31. Pumpkin Fest on Oct. 29 includes pumpkin carving, treasure hunt, pumpkin toss, gunny sack races and more. Three corn mazes, including a Kidz Maze and Dark Acres (ages 10 and up). Admission $10, senior discount $8, kids under 3 free. Group rates. Dark Acres $13. Tuesdays-thursdays 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fridays-saturdays 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sundays 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Closed Mondays, except for Halloween, Oct. 31. 21 1/2 and I 1/2 Road, Grand Junction. 970-773-6489, studtspumpkinpatchandcornmaze.com