Fall is the one season that turns a drive out of Raleigh into the whole point of the day. Past the new subdivisions and the widened roads, there are still working farms out here. Some have been in the same family for over 100 years. And every September they open the gates for pumpkin picking, corn mazes, hayrides, and the kind of afternoon our girls still ask for now they’re grown.
Most of these are less than an hour from the city. Pumpkin season around Raleigh usually starts in late September, when the farms open for their fall festivals. In 2026 the first big opening weekend is September 19, with a second wave opening September 26. It’s one of the best things to do in Raleigh in the fall.

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IMPORTANT: Farms are slow to update their websites, and bad weather can close them at short notice. The dates and prices listed below are the most current we could find but always double-check the farm’s own website or their Facebook before you drive out for current opening hours. Honestly, their social accounts are usually more up to date than their websites!
- Ticketed farms and corn mazes near Raleigh
- 1. Phillips Farm (Haunted Farm & Corn Maze), Cary
- 2. Page Farms, Northwest Raleigh
- 3. Naylor Family Farm & Giant Corn Maze, Fuquay Varina
- 4. Grasshopper Farms, Knightdale
- 5. McKee Cornfield Maze, Hillsborough
- 6. Pumpkin Patch Express, Museum of Life and Science, Durham
- 7. Spring Haven Farm: Pumpkin Carving with Goats, Chapel Hill
- 8. 1870 Farm: Halloween at the Farm, Chapel Hill
- 9. Sonlight Farms Corn Maze, Kenly
- 10. Huckleberry Trail Farm Fall Festival, Siler City
- 11. Camp Chestnut Ridge Pumpkin Patch, Efland
- 12. Hill Ridge Farms Fall Pumpkin & Harvest Festival, Youngsville
- 13. Gross Farms, Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch, Sanford
- 14. Hubbs Farm Fall Festival, Clinton
- 15. Fall Fest at Deans Farm Market, Wilson
- U-pick pumpkin markets near Raleigh
- FAQs about pumpkin patches and corn mazes near Raleigh
- Final thoughts
- Other Fall Ideas for Raleigh you may like
Ticketed farms and corn mazes near Raleigh
1. Phillips Farm (Haunted Farm & Corn Maze), Cary

- Address: 6800 Good Hope Church Road, Cary
- Cost: General admission $20.00
- Website
One of the best-known farms in Wake County for fall, including the spooky kind, is Phillips Farm in Cary. This family-owned farm has been growing for central North Carolina for over 100 years. Fall activities include a corn maze, corn pit, family fun park, cow trains, giant pillows, mini-golf, roller racers, wagon rides, feeding the farm animals, and picking your own pumpkins from the vine. Tickets can be bought in advance here.

The season kicks off with their reopening weekend. Early in the season the sunflower fields may still be in bloom, and you can visit them with your general admission ticket. Most sunflower fields near Raleigh are finished by midsummer, so this is your last real chance. There are concessions too, with ice cream, snow corn, fresh kettle corn, and hot apple cider. Halloween lovers will want to visit Phillips Haunted Farm with the Field of Lost Souls, the Rebellion Trail, the Gore House, and Big Top Terror. More on that in our Halloween guide.
2. Page Farms, Northwest Raleigh

- Address: 6100 Mt. Herman Rd, Raleigh
- Cost: TBD last year it was $12 per person in 2025. Under 2 free. Senior (65+) and military $1 off.
- Website
Not far from Umstead State Park is this hundred-acre farm, which has been family-owned and operated for over 100 years. Fall activities include a five-acre corn maze, haystack slide on the mulch mountain, hayrides, playground, cow train, duck run race, and farm animals. Page Farms also sell hams, jellies, cider, vinaigrette and raw honey from their bees. Admission includes access to the Corn Maze, Hayride, Playground, Cow Train, and Farm Animals. No pumpkin is included in the admission price; these are sold separately from the patch. Weekend tickets are sold online, and weekday tickets at the gate.
3. Naylor Family Farm & Giant Corn Maze, Fuquay Varina

- Address: 6016 US 401 North Fuquay-Varina
- Cost: $24 per person for a Farm Pass and 30-minute hayride. Children under 3 go free.
- Website
Naylor Family Farm has a Farm Market Barn, a 7-acre giant corn maze, a pumpkin patch, a goat walk and petting zoo, a kids’ play area, a jump pad, giant tube slides, farm animals, corn cribs, a hayride trail, a retired Bell helicopter, and picnic areas.
Say hi to the two miniature donkeys, Spicy and Pickle, and to Humphrey the miniature Zebu calf. Robert’s Barnyard Theatre runs shows and surprises through the season, and there’s a Treetop Adventure course. New for 2026 is a 120-foot pirate ship, plus Cranky the Animated Tractor. You could easily spend half a day here. Book a day and time slot online. Naylor sells out on busy weekends and won’t take walk-ins when they do.
4. Grasshopper Farms, Knightdale

- Address: 8004 Poole Rd., Knightdale
- Cost: $14 adults | $12 (3-11years old) | Kids 2 and under are free.
- Website
This family farm in Knightdale has a 4-acre corn maze, a pumpkin patch, fall produce. There’s also a fun park with a massive wooden farmhouse play structure, numerous swing sets, a huge 20ft x 20ft oversized sandbox, a hay bale mini-maze, and farm field game
5. McKee Cornfield Maze, Hillsborough

- Address: 5011 Kiger Road, Hillsborough
- Cost: $16 (0-2 free) Military $1 off
- Website
At 12 acres, the McKee cornfield maze is one of the largest in the Triangle and they’ve been cutting a new one every year since 2001.! There is a smaller interactive maze for younger kids as well. Other Fall activities include hayrides, a pumpkin patch, farm animals, a barrel train ride, play areas, corn hole, ice cream, snacks, and picnic areas. You can even try milking Bessie the cow! New dated events for 2026: Breast Cancer Awareness Day on October 4, Home School Day on October 16 (11:00am–3:00pm), and on October 31 you can carve pumpkins with the farm animals, with a kids’ costume contest at 2:00pm.
6. Pumpkin Patch Express, Museum of Life and Science, Durham

- Address: 433 W Murray Ave, Durham
- Website
Celebrate fall at the Life and Science Museum in Durham with a trip to the pumpkin patch. On Saturdays and Sundays from September 26 to October 25. Pick a pumpkin to decorate, race through the hay maze, and try the fall science activities, mini pumpkin putt-putt, duck races, and bowling. Then climb aboard the train for a ride back to the station on the Ellerbe Creek Railway. New for 2026 is a cheaper afternoon ticket. The 2:30pm and 3:30pm trains drop to $13.50, so a late slot is the budget pick if you don’t mind the timing.
7. Spring Haven Farm: Pumpkin Carving with Goats, Chapel Hill

- Address: 5306 Homer Ruffin Road, Chapel Hill
- Cost: $16.95 per person | $13.95 4 – 11yo | 3 and under enter free | Pumpkins run about $9–$17 by size.
- Website
Spring Haven Farm is all about goats. Baby goat snuggles, highland cows, alpacas, pigs, donkeys, and pumpkin carving right in the goat pasture. I did goat yoga once in the Finger Lakes and can recommend any kind of goat activity, so this one’s an easy yes from me. Find your pumpkin, then carve it surrounded by the friendly goats. Farm admission includes a baby goat snuggle, feeding the fluffy highland cows, time by the fire, and the tractor train ride. There’s gem mining too.
8. 1870 Farm: Halloween at the Farm, Chapel Hill

- Address: 1224 Old Lystra Rd, Chapel Hill
- Cost: Saturday admission $20 (covers the vehicle and everyone in it) some activities priced separately
- Website
This 17-acre farm is home to chickens, sheep, goats, ponies, donkeys, pigs, bunnies, alpacas and llamas. Their kid-friendly Halloween event runs a fall trick-or-treat with pumpkins, animals in costume, story time, pumpkin carving, and haunted gemstone mining. Costumes encouraged. I like the sound of the Apothecary class and the Spooky vet clinic experience (additional fees). You can Donate non-perishable food for PORCH Chapel Hill and paint your pumpkin for FREE.
9. Sonlight Farms Corn Maze, Kenly

- Address: 293 Bunn Road, Kenly
- Cost: $12
- Website
Sonlight Farms has corn mazes, tractor rides, pumpkin picking, and games like corn hole, pedal-kart racing, and bouncing castles. There’s plenty for families here. Our girls loved the corn crib, and we had real trouble finding our way out of the corn maze. Fair warning.
Video: Pumpkin Farm in Johnston County
10. Huckleberry Trail Farm Fall Festival, Siler City

- Address: 143 Pleasant Hill Church Rd., Siler City
- Cost: $12 (12+) $10 (3-11)
- Website
About 30 minutes west of downtown Cary, Huckleberry Trail Farm has a 4.5-acre corn maze, a tractor-drawn hayride, a real pick-off-the-vine pumpkin patch, a cotton patch, and a mini Field of Dreams. One admission covers all of it, and they sell pumpkins and refreshments separately to keep the entry price low. There’s a flashlight maze on select nights too.
11. Camp Chestnut Ridge Pumpkin Patch, Efland
- Address: 2902 Mt Willing Rd. Efland
- Cost: free to attend the festival. Hayrides, face painting, apple cider, cider floats, and s’mores kits are available to buy.
- Website
Camp Chestnut Ridge has shifted how they run the patch. Most of the season is now private group visits for up to 60 people, which you reserve on their form, and there’s one free public Fall Festival on October 11. Either way it’s a cozy, made-for-kids space, and a good pick for younger children. Visits include a hayride through the woods, a fall craft, face painting, feeding and petting the animals (pigs, chickens, donkeys, bunnies), the corn pit, and a spooky trail scavenger hunt. Add-ons like pumpkin carving, cider, a campfire with s’mores, and glow-in-the-dark evenings cost extra.
12. Hill Ridge Farms Fall Pumpkin & Harvest Festival, Youngsville

- Address: 703 Tarboro Road, Youngsville
- Cost: $24.95 per person for general admission or $29.95 for the Super Pass (includes everything!)
- Website
The Hill Ridge fall festival runs on family fun. Picking your own pumpkin is included, and so are hayrides, a hay jump, a jumping pillow, the giant mountain slide, a duck race, the carousel, and a covered wagon ride. The splash pad stays open through October 5, so pack a change of clothes on a warm day. Gem panning and the train rides cost extra. And don’t leave without the apple cider donuts. They’re worth the trip on their own.
13. Gross Farms, Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch, Sanford

- Address: 1606 Pickett Road, Sanford
- Cost: $20 aged 3+ (4 hour ticket)
- Website
Gross Farms is a 7th-generation Century Farm with a 10-acre corn labyrinth, one of the largest in the region. Over 5 miles of winding paths and three puzzles to solve, including the mystery of missing Farmer Joe. The mazes here have been challenging and fun since 1993. Walk straight out of the maze into the pumpkin patch and pick your own. There are pedal karts, playgrounds, slides, a hayride, pumpkin jumps, a jump pad, a tire mountain, picnic areas, and homemade ice cream.
14. Hubbs Farm Fall Festival, Clinton

- Address: 10276 N, US-421, Clinton
- Cost: Variety of prices and packages. TBD for 2026
- Website
This farm is about 80 minutes from Raleigh, but the fall festival packs in a lot. Hubbs Farm’s 15-acre giant maze is cut from hybrid sorghum, which stays thicker and greener than corn. Inside are three individual mazes with different themes and scavenger hunts, plus flashlight mazes at night. There are giant slides, jumping pillows, a mini zip line, a rope mountain, a toddler town, farm animals, wagon rides, and a pumpkin patch. Weekday visits are lighter (some rides don’t run) with limited concessions, so you can bring your own picnic.
15. Fall Fest at Deans Farm Market, Wilson

NO UPDATES FOR 2026 YET
- Where: 4321Hwy 42 West Wilson
- Cost: $16 per person and includes a free pumpkin
- Website
Deans Farm Market runs Fall Festival weekends through the season. Every paying guest gets a free pumpkin on the hayride around the farm. There’s a large playground and picnic area, a soybean maze, and farm animals to visit. There’s also a market where local vendors sell handmade goods and artisan products. Worth a browse for jewelry, baked goods, and other local finds.
U-pick pumpkin markets near Raleigh
No admission fee, no set festival dates. You turn up, pick your pumpkins, and pay by size or weight. These open seasonally from around late September through October. Check each farm’s Facebook for the exact opening day, since it shifts a little each year with the harvest.
16. DJ’s Berry Patch, Apex

- Address: 1223 Salem Church Road, Apex
- Cost: Whatever you purchase
- Website
DJ’s Berry Patch is a family-run spot in Apex with u-pick pumpkins and mums, fresh produce, and strawberries in season. Several varieties of pumpkin to choose from, plus chrysanthemums, or mums (in Australia, that’s also what we call our moms). DJ’s has the down-home feel of an old-time roadside stand. It’s more a market for buying pumpkins than a full attraction farm, so come for the picking, not the rides.
17. The Family Farm on Avent Ferry, Holly Springs

- Address: 1719 Avent Ferry Road, Holly Springs
- Cost: Whatever you purchase
- Website
The Family Farm on Avent Ferry has been in the same family for 6 generations. Pick your favorite carving pumpkin, and browse the specialty pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, and hay bales. On the property you’ll find an 85-year-old cow barn and a log tobacco barn over 100 years old. No entrance fee. You pay for the pumpkins you pick.
18. Porter Farms and Nursery, Willow Spring

- Address: 3525 NC Highway 42, Willow Spring
- Cost: Whatever you purchase
- Website
Porter Farms is a serious grower, with several first-place pumpkin wins including the largest pumpkin at the NC State Farmers Market Great Pumpkin Contest. Big selection of pumpkins and ornamental gourds. Besides the farm market in Willow Spring, Porter also sells mums and pumpkins at the Raleigh Farmers Market.
19. Ashlan Meadows Farm, Selma

- Address: 1912 Pine Level Micro Rd., Selma
- Market Opening hours: Monday–Friday 8:00am–5:00pm.
- Cost: pay what you pick
- Website
We met Boone and Emily Langley and their son at Ashlan Meadows on a trip to Johnston County, and their pigs are pasture-raised, so say hello if you see them. Heads up for 2026: the pumpkin patch hayrides are paused, and the spooky evening events aren’t running this year. For fall pumpkins, their town location in Pine Level has a big selection of pumpkins, straw bales, jams, jellies, and NC products

FAQs about pumpkin patches and corn mazes near Raleigh
When does pumpkin season start near Raleigh?
Most farms open in late September for their fall festivals. In 2026, the earliest big openings land on the weekend of September 19 (Phillips, Naylor, Hill Ridge), with a second wave on September 26 (McKee, Gross, the Life and Science Pumpkin Patch Express). The u-pick markets often open a little earlier and run through October.
Which pumpkin patches near Raleigh are free?
The u-pick markets are free to enter. You only pay for the pumpkins you pick at DJ’s Berry Patch, The Family Farm on Avent Ferry, Porter Farms, and Ashlan Meadows. Camp Chestnut Ridge also runs one free public Fall Festival on October 11.
Which pumpkin patches are best for little kids?
For toddlers and younger children, Spring Haven Farm (baby goats and a made-for-kids scale), Camp Chestnut Ridge (cozy and low-key), Page Farms, and 1870 Farm are the gentlest. They lean into animals and small play areas rather than big rides and long maze walks.
Which farm has the biggest corn maze?
Gross Farms in Sanford has over 5 miles of paths across a 10-acre maze with three puzzles. McKee in Hillsborough runs a 12-acre maze, one of the largest in the Triangle, and cuts a fresh one every year.
Do I need to book pumpkin patch tickets in advance?
For weekends, yes at some farms. Naylor Family Farm and Page Farms sell timed weekend tickets online and can sell out. Most others take walk-ups, but buying online often gets you faster entry. Weekday visits rarely need a booking.
Which pumpkin patches are closest to downtown Raleigh?
Page Farms in Northwest Raleigh is the closest full farm, near Umstead State Park. Grasshopper Farms in Knightdale and DJ’s Berry Patch in Apex are both quick drives too. Everything else is a 30-to-80-minute run into the surrounding counties.
Final thoughts

Agribusiness is the number 1 industry in North Carolina, bringing in around $84 billion a year, so a fall afternoon at one of these farms is a small way to back a real part of our economy. Our girls are older now, and we’ve only made it to a handful of these ourselves. But we’ll never outgrow buying pumpkins and carving them at Halloween.
Some of these farms also run serious Halloween hauntings, which we cover in our guide to Halloween in Raleigh. It’s one of the classic fall activities in Raleigh, especially with kids. Hope you find a patch near you this season.
Other Fall Ideas for Raleigh you may like
- Fun Things to do in Raleigh in the Fall
- The best Fall festivals and events in Raleigh
- Ultimate Guide to the NC State Fair
- Where to see the Fall colors in the Triangle
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