8 minute read
Oct 2023 | Fall Adventures
Applestem Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch
Craig, MT
The Applestem Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch is an agriculture-themed outdoor recreational attraction and farm with a 10-acre corn maze and other activities that are perfect for all ages. Located just outside of Craig, between Helena and Great Falls, the farm offers families hours of fun looking for the quickest path out of the corn and taking in other popular attractions like Human Foosball and Roller Bowler.
Hop on the Grain Train or ride the Cow Train. Take the plunge down Hay Mountain on the tube slide. Dig around in the corn box and try your hand at steer head roping. There’s a sandbox and an old-fashioned hay jump, rubber duck races, farm animals and spiderwebs to explore.
Let’s not forget the pumpkin patch. All of Applestem’s pumpkins are locally grown by the Hutterites at Sage Creek and New Rockport colonies. Applestem specializes in selling what people cannot buy at the store, and they try to feature something new and exotic every year.
Both the maze and pumpkin patch are open Fridays from 5-9 p.m., Saturdays from 1-9 p.m., and Sundays from 1-6 p.m. Tickets are available online (www. applestemcornmaze.com) or at the Applestem Corn Maze ticket booth.
..............................
Beaverhead
Bale Maze and Pumpkin Patch
Dillon, MT
The Beaverhead Bale Maze and Pumpkin Patch, located 1.5 miles from Dillon on Hwy. 91, is open during the month of October, Thursdays through Sundays from noon to 7 p.m. Admission is $7 per person; children ages 2 and under are free. Concessions are available offering everything from pulled pork cheesy nachos to fries and walking tacos along with a variety of other food and drink options.
On October 31, stop by the admission booth during the day for some early trick or treating and come back that night for the Haunted Maze. Open from 7-8 p.m. for the easily frightened, and from 8-10 p.m. for brave older kids and adults. Admission is $10 per person. For more information call 406-579-7955 or visit www.beaverheadmazeandpumpkinpatch.com
..............................
Edgewater Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch
Townsend, MT
With more than 15 attractions to choose from, Edgewater Farms offers families hours of fun. Wander through the maze, which boasts 12 acres of walking paths through cornfields; jump to your heart’s content on a 34-by-67-foot custom Jumbo Jumper; slide down the giant slide; shoot cobs of corn with air-powered corn cannons at a variety of targets; spend hours in the next-level sandbox corn pit. Other attractions include tractors to climb, hay rides, a pumpkin patch, fire pits and a multitude of games.
Edgewater Farms offers homemade chocolate chip cookies, scotcheroos and freshmade kettle corn in the Sweet Shop. Guests are welcome to bring their own food and beverages (no alcohol). The farm is located about six miles south of Townsend on the west side of the highway. You will have to cross a railroad with frequent trains so please be careful and DO NOT STOP ON THE TRACKS!
Hours of Operation:
Now through October 29, 2023
Fridays: 4-9 p.m.*
Saturdays: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.*
Sunday-Thursday: Closed
Last ticket is sold at 8 p.m.
......................................
Montana Corn Maze
Manhattan, MT
*MTP was unable to confirm 2023 details prior to publication; please visit www.montanacornmaze.com
The Montana Corn Maze is located on a 160-acre farm dating back to the late 1800’s.
The maze first opened in 2010 on eight-tenths of an acre, and has now grown to more than five acres. Each year, corn is planted in two different directions, creating a grid. The maze is drawn and cut without the use of computers or GPS. When the corn is about six inches tall, the paths are walked out, marked and then cut using weed eaters. This process is repeated several times.
Finally, clues are hidden among the stalks for three different levels of challenges.
Open through October 29, the maze attraction also offers a barrel train for kids, trikes for adults and older kids and wagon rides to and from the maze. Around the farm you’ll find a playground and sandboxes, corn hole, a miniature six-hole golf course, a haybale pyramid, the Wagon Depot slide, food and drink vendors, farm animals and a farmers market on Saturdays.
ONLINE RESERVATIONS FOR TICKETS ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED
$10 - Ages 4 and up
Free - Ages 3 and under
To purchase tickets online visit www.montanacornmaze.com.
October Hours of Operation:
Wednesdays / Online tickets required 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Fridays / Online tickets required 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fridays / No reservations required 5 to 7 p.m.
*Last ticket sold at 7 p.m.; all out by 8:30 p.m.
Saturdays / No reservations required 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
*Last ticket sold at 7 p.m.; all out by 8:30 p.m.
No pets of any kind are allowed on the farm.
The Montana Corn Maze is located at 4605 W. Cameron Bridge Rd. in Manhattan.
For more information visit the website or call 406-922-1643.
.......................................
Rocky Creek Farm
Bozeman, MT
WRITTEN BY LEIGH RIPLEY
Gallatin Valley Botanical at Rocky Creek Farm is a special place for my Montana Parent partners and our families. The cover of our very first issue was taken from a farm trail on a beautiful September day and features all eight of our children (plus a bonus friend). We had our first headshots for the magazine and website taken at the farm. And over the years we have recreated that first cover photo and so many more, documenting our families’ growth.
On a personal level, Rocky Creek is near and dear to me as well: school field trips for hayrides and cider pressing; pumpkin picking; children playing on the tire swings. These days, every week I pull up to the blue barn for my CSA and glance over at those same sweet swings and I can still remember trying to pry my kids from them—they never wanted leave.
We have made summer trips to pick strawberries and tomatoes from the vine. Fall trips to have our backyard apples pressed into cider and pumpkin picking for carving, decorating and baking. Once upon a time we went on a sleigh ride in December through a winter-themed wonderland (not sure they do that one anymore).
To say bringing your kids to Rocky Creek Farm is a Bozeman rite of passage is an understatement. It should be a requirement. Not only is it a magical lesson in farm to table, this little gem is a family-owned and operated business that embraces and welcomes our community as part of their family.
The Fall Festival and Pumpkin Patch have been a Bozeman tradition for more than 30 years. Every weekend, now through Halloween, the farm offers hay rides to the pumpkin patch, apple picking, cider pressing and more. The farm stand will be stocked with seasonal produce, carving pumpkins, decorative gourds, dried flowers, ornamental grasses and more.
There is a reservation system for the Fall Festival and Pumpkin Patch. Please visit www.gallatinvalleybotanical.com
.....................................
The Bozeman Maze
Bozeman, MT
The Bozeman Maze has been a Gallatin Valley tradition since 1998, when Dale Mandeville built the first maze in the shape of a pumpkin. In 2021, under Mandeville’s guidance, Tell Rothing and Ezra Cuelho took on ownership of the maze. Today, isometric 3-D effects are used, taking the mazes to a whole new level.
In addition to the maze itself, guests will find a PowerJump Bungee Trampoline, mini-train, hay rides, corn bins, a party tent, pumpkins, concessions and more.
The creation of the maze takes more than 5,000 bales of hay and a month or longer to build with two-to-three people putting in around 200-man hours.
Hours of operation are as follows, with Flashlight Nights on the evenings when the maze is open until 9 p.m. (bring your own flashlight):
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 6-9 p.m.
Thursday: Closed (open October 19, 12-5 p.m.)
Friday: 6-9 p.m. (extended hours October 20, 12-9 p.m.)
Saturday: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sunday: noon-6 p.m.
The last group of the day will be permitted into the maze at closing time. Hayrides and concessions close one hour later. The mini-train does not run after dark.
Cost:
General: $13/person
Children ages 5-10: $11/person
Ages 4 and under free
Groups of 10 or more will receive a $1 discount
PowerJump Bungee Trampoline: $8 (The PowerJump will not run when the temperature is below 45°F.)
The Bozeman Maze is located at 1340 E. Valley Center Rd. For more information visit www.bozemanmaze.com or call 406-388-7818.
.......................................
Fall Frolic
October 19, 2023
Bozeman, MT
There is a chill in the air and winter is on its way, but before it gets here, Bozeman Parks & Recreation is going to celebrate the end of fall with a festival. Kids in grades kindergarten through fifth are invited to Story Mill Community Park for sack races, hula-hoop contests, bean bag tosses, bobbing for apples (not with our mouths), old fashioned pie-eating contests, healthy corndog snacks, face painting, leaf rubbings and adventures in the park. The Fall Frolic day-camp will be held from 7:45 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Registration is required www.bozeman. net/recreation or 406-582-2290
