6 Nebraska Pumpkin Patches Still Open Through October With A Corn Maze To Get Lost In
Some of the best fall days in Nebraska start with a wrong turn onto a gravel road and a hand-painted sign pointing toward pumpkins. One minute it’s just fields, and the next there’s a wall of corn taller than anyone in the car, with a path cut right through it.
October is the last stretch to catch these farms before the stalks come down, and six of them still have mazes waiting to get you turned around. Pack a jacket, bring some patience, and plan to leave with muddy shoes.
1. Vala’s Pumpkin Patch & Apple Orchard In Gretna
Four acres of corn can swallow a family whole, and at Vala’s the path changes every year, so last fall’s shortcuts won’t help. The maze here is only one piece of a much bigger puzzle.
Picture a Saturday in Gretna: hay wagons rolling past, a kiddie train looping by, and a crowd cheering on the pig races. Apple picking in the orchard adds a second harvest to the trip, and pony rides and farm animals keep younger kids busy between stops.
A spook house gives older siblings a thrill of their own.
Hungry? Casual food stands serve up fall favorites, and fire pits scattered around the grounds make a warm place to regroup once the sun drops.
The farm stays open every day of the week during the season, with later hours on Fridays and Saturdays.
Compared to smaller patches, Vala’s runs at full festival scale, which means more to do and more people doing it. Plan on a full day, arrive early on weekends, and note that the lot includes both free and paid parking areas.
Grab a pumpkin on the way out, because the patch sits right there waiting.
2. Skinny Bones Pumpkin Patch In Blair
Flashlight beams bounce off dry stalks, somewhere a kid shrieks with delight, and the exit feels miles away. Skinny Bones in Blair turns its corn maze into a night adventure, with scary evenings adding hidden scarers to the rows during October.
Bring a flashlight with fresh batteries.
Daylight brings a different game. A scavenger hunt runs through the maze, and finding all eight punch stations earns master maze status, a goal that keeps grown-ups just as focused as the kids.
Plenty of adults end up lost long after the little ones have found their way out.
What sets this farm apart is its size, or lack of it. Parking is quick, the crowds stay manageable, and prices come in lower than at the larger patches closer to Omaha.
The whole place leans kid-friendly, with farm attractions scaled for small legs and short attention spans.
Will everyone get around easily? Handicapped parking is available, though the grounds beyond the lot are not especially wheelchair-friendly.
Hours shift through the week, with longer evenings toward the weekend, so check the schedule before driving out, especially for the nighttime maze events.
3. Roca Berry Farm In Roca
South of Lincoln, a working farm fills up with pumpkins each fall, and the smell of apple cider donuts drifts across the grounds. Roca Berry Farm keeps its season relaxed, a slower pace than the big-name patches near Omaha.
Nobody here is in a hurry.
One gate fee covers nearly everything for the whole day, which makes budgeting simple. Inside, mazes wind through the property, including a Halloween-themed corn maze, and hayrides carry families across the farm.
Haunted houses give braver kids something to talk about on the ride home.
Need a snack break? A funnel cake dusted in powdered sugar hits the spot, and jars of apple butter make a sweet souvenir.
A separate area stocks a large pumpkin patch along with autumn decor and goods for sale.
Big thrills aren’t the goal here. The farm fits younger children and families who prefer an easygoing outing over a packed festival, and free parking plus open hours every day of the week make a spur-of-the-moment trip simple to pull off.
Roca sits a short drive from Lincoln, so the trip home rarely eats up the evening.
4. Poppy’s Pumpkin Patch In Norfolk
How many ways can one farm keep a kid moving? At Poppy’s Pumpkin Patch outside Norfolk, the list runs long: zip lines, a trampoline, slides, a bounce area, skee ball, pedal toys, and a playground, all before anyone reaches the corn maze.
Family-run and neatly kept, the property has added new games in recent seasons, along with a feed-and-pet area where kids can hand out snacks to the farm animals. The maze makes a fine finale, a winding walk that tires out even the most energetic runner in the group.
Northeast Nebraska families get a big-city lineup without the long drive to Omaha. The snack bar carries a wide selection, a relief for anyone with a picky eater in tow, and costs stay gentle on a family budget.
Timing takes a little planning. The farm closes early in the week and keeps shorter hours on Fridays, so weekends and midweek visits are the windows to aim for.
Free parking sits right on site.
Imagine the end of the day: an armful of pumpkins, grass-stained knees, and a kid still begging for one more trip down the slide. That scene plays out here every weekend of the season.
5. Helgoths Pumpkin Patch In St Libory
Thousands of pumpkins spread across the field at Helgoths, and getting to them is half the fun. A wagon hauls families out to the real patch, where everyone picks a pumpkin straight off the vine to take home.
Remember the pumpkin patches of childhood, the ones with hay underfoot and dirt on every boot? This farm near St Libory, not far from Grand Island, still runs on that old-fashioned formula, then piles a surprising amount on top of it.
Ziplines, trampolines, bouncy houses, and huge slides fill the activity area. Games, several rides, farm animals, and a corn maze round out the lineup, so the hours disappear quickly.
Kids can bounce, climb, and zip from one end of the grounds to the other without repeating a single stop.
Food is easier to find than at many rural patches. A cluster of small food shops sits alongside a little restaurant, a welcome setup for a farm in the middle of the state.
Prices stay reasonable. One practical tip: give each pumpkin a quick once-over for soft spots before heading to the wagon, since a firm shell lasts longer on the porch.
6. Harvest Moon Farm In Oakland
Engines hum on the go-kart track while kids launch themselves off jumping pillows a few yards away. Harvest Moon Farm in Oakland packs that kind of energy into every corner during the fall season.
Unlike many patches, one admission covers the whole spread, so nothing else costs extra except concessions. Zip lines, go-karts, the grain train, farm animals, and a sprawling corn maze all come with the price of entry, and pumpkins sell at fair rates too.
Can a small-town farm keep up with the big Omaha-area patches? The lineup matches them closely, yet the total comes in at a fraction of the cost, which justifies the drive into Burt County.
Go-kart laps alone can fill an hour.
Seasonal treats fill the snack stands, and the Rusty Bucket makes a sweet last stop after the maze. Outside of autumn, the property works as a wedding venue and hosts reunions, graduations, and birthday parties, so the grounds see celebrations year-round.
Free parking and a gender-neutral restroom keep logistics simple. The farm stays open through October, leaving several more weekends to find the exit.
