Haunted Corn Maze Guide 2026: What to Expect + Where to Go

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A haunted corn maze is a farm corn maze after dark, with live actors hiding in the stalks, fog, sound effects and themed scenes along the way. You walk it with your group, you get lost on purpose, and something jumps out at the worst possible moment.

Most run on Friday and Saturday nights in October, and the weekends right before Halloween are the busiest. This guide covers what to expect, how scary they really get, what to wear, and where to find good ones for the 2026 season.

Every date and price below comes from the attraction's own website, checked in early October 2026. Haunts change details mid-season, so confirm on the official site before you drive out.

What is a haunted corn maze?

A regular corn maze is a puzzle cut into a field of tall corn. You wander paths, hit dead ends, and try to find the exit, usually in daylight with a map.

The haunted version adds night, actors and set pieces to a cornfield. Sometimes that is the daytime maze, and sometimes it is a separate field the farm keeps just for the haunt. Paths may pass through small buildings, graveyard scenes or old farm equipment, and a scare actor (or three) waits at the spots where you have to slow down.

Aerial view of the corn maze paths cut into the field at Spearfish Valley Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch in South Dakota

From above, it is easy to see why people get turned around. The daytime maze at Spearfish Valley Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch in South Dakota runs Fridays through Sundays from September 11 to October 31, 2026. At night those same twisting rows feel ten times bigger.

Haunted maze vs. haunted trail vs. haunted hayride

These three often share a farm and a ticket booth, so it helps to know the difference:

Haunted maze: you choose your own path, so you can get lost, double back and meet the same monster twice.

Haunted trail: one set route through corn or woods, with scenes in a fixed order. Many "haunted cornfields" are really trails.

Haunted hayride: you sit on a wagon and the scenes come to you. A good pick for groups with someone who hates walking in the dark.

Big haunt parks often have all three, plus haunted houses, on one property.

Haunted corn mazes open for Halloween 2026

These cornfield haunts all post 2026 details on their own sites. Here is the quick comparison, then what makes each one different.

Haunt	Where	2026 nights	Ticket price	Age advice	Official site
AZ Field of Screams	Glendale, AZ	Fri and Sat, Oct 2 to 31, plus Halloween	$30	Not recommended under 13	Tickets and dates
Terror in the Corn	Erie, CO	Select nights, Sept 25 to Oct 31	$43 to $50	Not recommended under 10	Tickets and dates
Stalker Farms	Snohomish, WA	Select nights, Oct 2 to Nov 1	See official site	See official site	Tickets and dates
Schuyler Farms	Schuylerville, NY	Every Fri and Sat in October	$25 online, $28 at the gate	See official site	Tickets and dates
Bates Motel (Revenge of the Scarecrows)	Glen Mills, PA	See official site	See official site	See official site	Tickets and dates
Shelby Corn Maze (Trail of Terror)	Shelby, NC	Fri and Sat nights in October	$16	Has an all-ages section	Tickets and dates

Many of these are new on Morty, so treat their ratings as an early read. If you go, leave a rating for the next group.

West: AZ Field of Screams, Glendale, Arizona

A haunted maze at Tolmachoff Farms, built around the story of a cornfield planted over a forgotten cemetery. It runs October 2 to 31 on Fridays, Saturdays and Halloween night, 7 to 11 pm.

Admission is $30, or $37 with the family daytime maze.

Best for: a true choose-your-path maze with a storyline, and groups of teens and adults. See it on Morty and browse Phoenix-area haunts.

West: Terror in the Corn, Erie, Colorado

A mile-long route through a cornfield at Anderson Farms that ends in the abandoned town of Raven's Gulch. It runs select nights from September 25 through October 31.

Your ticket includes the farm's Fall Festival, with a 25-acre daytime corn maze. When we checked, general admission ran $43 to $50 depending on the night. Timed tickets let you enjoy the festival until your slot.

Best for: groups who want a long walk that turns into a full haunted town. Find it on Morty along with other Denver-area haunts.

West: Stalker Farms, Snohomish, Washington

Stalker Farms bills itself as the original haunted corn trails in Washington. In 2026 it opens on select nights from October 2 through November 1, including some Thursdays and Sundays.

A fiery, antlered creature sculpture glows orange in the dark at Stalker Farms in Snohomish, Washington

Tip: the early nights (October 2 and 3) close at 9 pm, so arrive early.

Best for: Seattle-area groups who want several themed corn trails in one night. It is on Morty, with more on the Seattle haunts page.

Northeast: Schuyler Farms, Schuylerville, New York

The Schuyler Farms haunted maze runs every Friday and Saturday in October 2026, from dusk until 10 pm. The last ticket sells at 9:15 pm, no exceptions.

Expect a flashlight-only walk, chainsaw-wielding characters and haunted buildings inside the maze. Best for: a classic family-farm haunted maze.

Tip: buy ahead. It costs $25 online versus $28 at the gate. More upstate options are on Morty's New York haunts page.

Northeast: The Bates Motel, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania

Just outside Philadelphia, the Bates Motel has run for over 30 years. Its cornfield trail, Revenge of the Scarecrows, shares the farm with a haunted hayride and a haunted motel.

On Morty, Revenge of the Scarecrows is rated Very Positive, and the Haunted Hayride is rated Very Positive too. Check the Bates Motel site for 2026 dates and prices.

South: Shelby Corn Maze, Shelby, North Carolina

About an hour from Charlotte, the Trail of Terror runs Friday and Saturday nights in October starting at dark. Haunt tickets are $16, and a combo ticket adds the daytime farm activities on the same day.

Best for: a first haunted maze on a budget, or families with younger kids who stick to the all-ages section. See more on Morty's Charlotte haunts page.

What to expect inside

Expect darkness, uneven dirt paths and actors who know exactly where your eyes are not looking. Strobes, air blasts and loud sound effects are common. Stalker Farms lists all three in its entry warning, and many haunts add fog.

Many haunts ban flashlights, phones out for video, food and drinks inside. AZ Field of Screams in Glendale, Arizona lists all of those on its visitor rules, and adds a line most haunts share: the actors do not touch you, so do not touch them.

Some mazes do the opposite on lighting. At Schuyler Farms in New York, you work your way through the maze "with just a flashlight to light your way," past masked men with chainsaws and haunted buildings inside the maze.

A moss-draped scarecrow with a glowing pumpkin head stands beside an old wagon at Haunted Overload in Lee, New Hampshire

Expect mud, too. Schuyler Farms tells visitors to dress for it, and Stalker Farms in Washington warns you may get wet, muddy, or brushed by hanging props.

How long it takes depends on the size of the field and how lost you get. Terror in the Corn in Colorado calls its route a "Mile of Mayhem," so plan for a real walk, not a quick loop.

How scary is a haunted corn maze?

Scarier than a haunted house for some people, milder for others. The dark, the rustling stalks and the dead ends play on a very old fear: being lost at night with something following you. Many also add buildings and narrow passages, so you get some tight-space scares too.

The best guide is the age advice each haunt publishes. It tells you how hard they push:

AZ Field of Screams does not recommend it for anyone under 13.

Terror in the Corn does not recommend it for kids under 10, but leaves the call to parents.

If someone in your group is nervous, look for a lights-on option. Haunted Overload in New Hampshire sells a Fright Night Lite ticket ($28) with the full sets, lights and fog but no actors, plus a daytime walk-through ($16) with no scares at all.

A burlap-hooded scarecrow figure stands in a dim barn scene at Haunted Overload in Lee, New Hampshire

Shelby Corn Maze in North Carolina takes a different approach. Part of its maze is cleared as safe for all ages, so younger kids can still try finding their way out on a dark night.

Not sure how you handle fear in general? Our post on whether escape rooms are scary breaks down jump scares, darkness and claustrophobia, and most of it applies here too.

Prefer to ride? A hayride and woods trail Morty users rate highly

Morty users rate haunted attractions after they go. These two outdoor farm haunts outside the maze format are both rated Very Positive by Morty users.

Field of Screams, Mountville, Pennsylvania

In its 34th season, Field of Screams pairs two haunted houses and a haunted woods walk with a haunted hayride that rolls deep into a dark cornfield. The Haunted Hayride is rated Very Positive on Morty.

Best for: corn scares without the walking. The official site posts 2026 dates, and Morty's Pennsylvania haunted houses page lists more nearby.

Haunted Overload, Lee, New Hampshire

A trail through the woods of a working farm, known for towering scarecrow sculptures and glowing jack-o'-lanterns. It is rated Very Positive on its Morty page, where it is listed at about 45 minutes.

Glowing jack-o'-lanterns and towering scarecrow sculptures in purple fog along the trail at Haunted Overload in Lee, New Hampshire

Tickets are timed, and the Main Event runs $40. Best for: people who care as much about the art as the scares.

Plan your night: a quick checklist

Start with Morty's haunted houses hub, then drill into your state. Morty lists haunted mazes, trails and hayrides alongside haunted houses, so you can compare ratings in one place. Pumpkin farms with daytime mazes often add haunted nights late in October, so check nearby farms too.

Before you go:

Check this year's calendar on the official site. Many run only Fridays and Saturdays.

Buy online. It is often cheaper, and popular nights can sell out.

Expect a wait anyway. Terror in the Corn warns busy nights can bring delays of an hour or more, even with timed tickets.

Check the weather policy. Some run rain or shine; others close for storms and post updates on social media.

Wear closed shoes and layers. Mud, uneven ground and cold October nights are part of the deal.

Hold onto your group and do not run. Pick a meeting spot at the exit. Sprinting through corn at night is how people fall.

FAQs

How do I find haunted corn mazes near me?

Browse Morty's haunted houses hub by state or city, then check each farm's own site for this year's dates. Local pumpkin farms with daytime mazes often add haunted nights in late October too.

How much do haunted mazes cost?

Prices on the farms in this guide range from $16 at Shelby Corn Maze to around $50 for a peak night at Terror in the Corn. Fast passes and VIP tickets cost more. Buying online is often cheaper than paying at the gate.

What is the scariest haunted corn maze?

It depends on what scares you, but age advice is a good clue. AZ Field of Screams does not recommend its maze for anyone under 13, which signals an intense night. Among outdoor farm haunts, Field of Screams in Pennsylvania and Haunted Overload in New Hampshire are both rated Very Positive by Morty users.

Are haunted mazes OK for kids?

Some are. Terror in the Corn does not recommend its route for kids under 10, and AZ Field of Screams sets the line at 13. For younger kids, look for a lights-on night, a daytime walk-through, or a maze with an all-ages section like Shelby Corn Maze.

Can I wear a costume to a haunted maze?

Policies vary, so check first. Terror in the Corn allows costumes but not full masks that hide your face, while AZ Field of Screams bans face masks and costume props. Whatever you wear, pair it with boots and warm layers.

Final thoughts: find your next scare on Morty

Pick a haunt that fits your group's nerve, buy a timed ticket for an early weekend, and wear boots. To compare more haunts by city or state, get the Morty app, save the ones you want before October 31, and rate your maze afterward so the next group knows which field is worth the drive.

Haunted Corn Maze Guide 2026: What to Expect, How Scary, Where to Go