The US’s top corn mazes according to USA Today

It’s no secret, but many queer folx enjoy autumn and all the spooky season has to offer. With Halloween almost upon us, many of us are already getting into the spirit of things by planning apple and pumpkin picking excursions at our local farms, but there’s another fall farmland tradition that beckons us: the corn maze, and this is probably your last weekend to do it!

It’s an integral part of any Autumnal trip to the countryside. The fun of trying to navigate a seemingly endless route through the cornfield, all the while laughing and horsing around with friends is a tradition that stems back to childhood for many of us. As we’ve gotten older perhaps we’ve upped the ante, so to speak, by tackling these mazes at night or with the benefit of the wine and hard cider served at many farmhouses nowadays. Either way, it’s an indispensable part of fall.

USA Today recently released its list of best corn mazes around the country as part of its  2022 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Out of the 500 existing mazes around the country, USA Today readers narrowed it down to the top 10 of the most exemplary, both for the quality of the mazes themselves and for the wealth of other activities that are offered at the farms. We’ve highlighted a few of them by region below. The full list is available here.

Treworgy Family Orchards (Levant, Maine)

Coming in at number one on the poll is Treworgy Family Orchards.  About 60,000 corn plants make up the 4-acre maze, and most of the stalks grow up to 10 feet tall. The extra height makes the maze more challenging and fun. It is the longest, continually running corn maze in Maine, operating since 2001. The maze’s theme this year is Winnie the Pooh.

Devine’s Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch (Harrodsburg, Kentucky)

The South’s own Devine Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch came in at number two on the USA Today rankings. The Maze is located on the Historic James McAfee farm and is decidedly less challenging than other mazes on the list in order to facilitate a good time with minimal stress. This 10-acre corn maze includes a petting zoo, wagon rides, and pumpkin picking. There’s something for everyone here. On Halloween weekend, the corn maze stays open late and becomes occupied by your favorite scary movie slashers in order to create the ‘Field of Horror’.

Cool Patch Pumpkins (Dixon, California)

Northern California’s Cool Patch Pumpkins is home to one of the nation’s biggest corn mazes, coming in at just over 40 acres. Along with the regular corn maze, there is a grass maze for any of the kiddies in your life in addition to hayrides, pedal cars, and an awesome corn bath quicksand pit! This location was voted number six in the country by USA Today readers.

Cornbelly’s (Lehi, Utah)

Now to be clear, Utah’s Cornbelly Maze has two locations: one in Lehi which was declared the tenth best corn maze nationwide as well as another location in Spanish Fork. While both are gorgeous and majestic one would assume the slightly more complex construction of the maze at Lehi is what nudges it ahead of its sister location. The theme this year is Peter Pan/ Never Grow Up. The mazes feature interactive games and trivia while the grounds contain a grain train ride and a separate haunted maze for some spooky fun.