Much like pumpkin patches and apple picking, visiting corn mazes in NC makes us feel like the glorious days of Autumn have officially arrived.
The state of North Carolina has more than its fair share of vast corn fields.
So it’s an ideal place to seek out kid-friendly corn mazes, as well as massive adult-sized challenges that can take hours to navigate.
Whether it’s getting totally spooked on Halloween, or just getting out to enjoy the gorgeous Fall colors and cool weather, a good corn maze always promises a fun time.
In fact, most of the NC farms with corn mazes also offer a host of other Autumn activities, from hayrides and pumpkin patches to tasty seasonal treats.
If that sounds like fun, read on for our guide to the 10 Best Corn Mazes in North Carolina to Visit, from the Western NC mountains and Charlotte east to Raleigh/Durham.
READ MORE: The Top 20 Fall Festivals in the North Carolina Mountains
Best Corn Mazes in North Carolina Guide
(arranged geographically)
- Darnell Farms Corn Maze (Bryson City NC)
- Eliada’s Annual Corn Maze (Asheville NC)
- Ashe County Corn Maze (Jefferson NC)
- Harvest Farm (Valle Crucis NC)
- New River Corn Maze (Boone NC)
- Country Days Corn Maze (Indian Trail NC)
- Gross Farms (Sanford NC)
- Hubb’s Corn Maze (Clinton NC)
- Ken’s Korny Corn Maze (Garner NC)
- Kersey Valley Maize (Archdale NC)
READ MORE: The 25 Best Pumpkin Patches in NC
Corn Mazes In/Near Asheville NC
1. Darnell Farms Corn Maze
2300 Governers Island Road, Bryson City NC • 828-488-2376
Located on the banks of the Tuckaseegee River in Bryson City, Darnell Farms offers up an entire agro-tourism experience, from strawberries to pumpkin patches.
Naturally they have a corn maze to go along with it!
The Fall festivities at Darnell Farms begin September 14, and the hayrides roll until November 3. Visitors take a hayride to the pumpkin patch, where they can pick their own pumpkin.
They’re also free to “get lost” in the corn maze, which becomes a haunted corn maze starting at 8PM on October 19, 20, 30, and 31.
Other Fall events to combine with your NC corn maze experience with include the Sunflower Hippie Festival (Sept 21), the Bluegrass River Jam (Oct 5), and the Plow Days Festival (Oct 26-27).
READ MORE: The 8 Best Train Rides in the Smoky Mountains of NC & TN
2. Eliada’s Annual Corn Maze
2 Compton Dr, Asheville NC • 828-254-5356
This corn maze has become an annual tradition in Asheville NC.
All of the proceeds from it benefit Eliada, a non-profit organization that provides services to at-need children “from the cradle to career.”
This maze (and the other offerings at Eliada’s Fall Festival) is aimed at entertaining children and families. The festival runs every weekend from September 20 to October 27.
Aside from the beloved corn maze, they have corn cannons, hayrides, and pumpkins for purchase. Other fun options include slides, a bouncy pillow, a spider climber, and lawn games.
Tickets are $15/person, but kids 3 and under get in free. There are also season passes available, and Asheville food trucks offering tasty meals for purchase.
READ MORE: 18 Festive Ways to Celebrate an Asheville NC Christmas
Corn Mazes In/Near Boone & Blowing Rock NC
3. Ashe County Corn Maze & Pumpkin Festival
1332 NC Hwy 16 S, Jefferson NC • 828-406-0339
Opening on September 14, the Ashe County Corn Maze is surrounded by the beautiful NC High Country. The maze occupies about 4 acres, and takes between 30 minutes and an hour to navigate.
Other autumn activities at this annual Fall festival include pumpkin cannons (which can shoot 900+ feet!), pumpkin bowling, tractor hayrides, and a hay bale maze with a pipe slide.
There are also plenty of games, merchandise, concessions, and live music on some of the Saturdays.
General admission to the festival is $10/person, and that includes access to all activities. Leashed pets are also welcome.
This festival is only about 10 minutes from Downtown West Jefferson, an awesome North Carolina mountain town to explore while you’re in the vicinity.
READ MORE: 20 Incredible Places To See the Blue Ridge Mountains in Fall
4. Harvest Farms
3287 NC 194, Valle Crucis NC • 828-260-0765
Located in Valle Crucis (about 7 miles east of Banner Elk NC), Harvest Farm invites locals and visiting families alike to celebrate the Fall season with them.
The farm’s biggest attraction is their 7-acre corn maze, entry to which comes with a map and the chance to win a free pumpkin (while supplies last).
Other Autumn activities at Harvest Farms include pickin’ from the pumpkin patch, hayrides, kid-friendly “woolly” wagon rides, and u-pick fresh flowers.
Maze tickets are $12 for adults, 0r $9 for kids 12 and under. Combo tickets that include the maze and a hayride are $15 for adults, or $10 for kids.
The maze and pumpkin patch open for the season on August 31, and the hours are 10 AM– 6 PM on Fridays and Saturdays and 1 PM– 6 PM in Sundays.
READ MORE: Fall in North Carolina: 25 Great Places to See Fall Colors in NC
5. New River Corn Maze
660 Laurel Gap Ridge Road, Boone NC • 828-264-2986
New River Corn Maze is part of the Brown Family Farm in Boone NC. In addition to the corn maze, they also offer tram rides through the farm.
It costs $7 per person for the corn maze or the tram ride, but combo tickets are just $10 per person.
Surrounded by colorful Fall foliage, the setting is particularly stellar at this time of year.
There’s a pick-your-own-pumpkin patch with giants and heirloom varieties to choose from, and some lovely picnic areas scattered around the farm.
Autumn attractions at the New River Corn Maze open to the public on September 14, and their hours are from 10 AM to dark on Friday and Saturday, and from 1 PM to dark on Sunday.
READ MORE: The 12 Best Boone NC Christmas Tree Farms
Corn Mazes Near Charlotte NC
6. Country Days Corn Maze
416 Joe Lee Helms Road, Indian Trail NC • 704-753-1299/704-572-1993
The Country Days Corn Maze is actually two corn mazes. There’s “The Big Ears Maze,” which covers 7 acres and has an interactive passport option to add fun and trivia along the way.
They also have “The Little Ears Maze,” which is suitable for young kids and includes a reading of Spookley the Square Pumpkin.
Other free activities include Stuff the Scarecrow, Pumpkin Tic Tac Toe, and Tire Mountain. There are also other paid activities, such as Conk the Crow, a Corn Cannon, Wiggle Crawl, and the Jumping Pillow.
Tickets to the Big Maze are $10, while the Little Ears Maze is $6, and a Maze + Unlimited Farm Activities bracelet is $26. Visitors can also make reservations for the bonfire ($30).
In 2024, the Country Days Corn Maze is celebrating legendary country music singer Reba McEntire.
Normal hours are Fridays from 5 to 10 PM, Saturdays from 10 AM to 10 PM, and Sundays from 2 to 8 PM. Weekday visits by large groups are also possible with advance reservations.
READ MORE: The 15 Most Haunted Places in North Carolina
Corn Mazes Near Raleigh NC/Durham NC
7. Gross Farms
1606 Pickett Road, Sanford NC • 919-498-6727
Located an hour southwest of Raleigh, or a couple of hours northeast of Charlotte, Gross Farms is a viable choice for loads of people visiting North Carolina or living in the NC Piedmont.
Their 10-acre corn maze consists of 3 puzzles and over 5 miles of winding pathways to explore, making it worth taking a lovely Autumn day trip to get there. I
Explorers need to find 15 checkpoints to complete the maze, and there are 2 observation bridges in the corn maze to help you get your bearings.
This maze is set up like an “FSI: Farm Scene Investigation,” in which Farmer Joe is missing and several farm animals are the suspects at-large.
The Gross Farms corn maze operates on weekends from September 14 through November 3, with a pumpkin patch open every day during the month of October.
READ MORE: Apple Picking in North Carolina: The 15 Best NC Apple Orchards
8. Hubb’s Farm Corn Maze
10276 US Hwy 421 N, Clinton NC • 910-564-6709
The 2024 Fall Festival, Corn Maze, and Pumpkin Patch at Hubb’s Farm opens on September 21 and closes on November 2.
Located in Clinton NC (about an hour south of Raleigh), this farm is open to the public every Wednesday to Friday from 10 AM to 2 PM, with longer hours on Saturday and Sunday.
On weekdays, visitors can enjoy pumpkin patches, the farm store, flower patches, and self-catered picnicking. Weekends include concession options, but outside food and drink are not allowed.
There is an extensive list of other fun activities that is far too long to include here. Suffice it to say, train rides, wagons, hay, jump pillows, and more contribute to the Fall fun!
READ MORE: 10 Challenging Escape Rooms in North Carolina to Visit
9. Ken’s Korny Corn Maze
3175 Benson Road, Garner NC • 919-779-4765
Self-proclaimed as “the original North Carolina corn maze,” Ken’s Korny Corn Maze has been operating since 1999 and is celebrating its 24th season this year.
Their corn maze is 5 acres and has 3 different sections, so there’s something for all age groups.
Other activities in the “Adventure Zone” include a giant slide, tire mountain, straw maze, hay ride, rope maze, and miniature golf. Games range from tug-of-war and gourd checkers to big peg boards.
This corn maze is open on Fridays and Saturdays, from September through November. Ken’s Produce & Garden Center is open every Monday to Saturday, as well as on Sundays in October.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Fairs in North Carolina to Visit
Corn Mazes Near Winston-Salem/Greensboro
10. Kersey Valley Maize Adventure
1615 Kersey Valley Road, Archdale NC • 336-822-9338
The Kersey Valley Maize Adventure is located about 30 minutes south of Greensboro and Winston-Salem, and right on the edge of High Point NC.
Kersey Valley is a true family-friendly adventure park, and it’s open daily all year-round. Their Maize Adventure runs from Sept 28 to Oct 27.
Other activities on offer include The Farm Scene Investigation, Kersey Valley Express Train, Super Mega Ride N Slide, The Pumpkin Patch, a Wagon Ride, and much more.
Their Spookywoods attraction coincides with the Maize Adventure, and should be a blast for those who enjoy haunted house-style fun.
General admission to the Maize Adventure is $25, with Seniors getting entry for just $15. Parking is $10 per car, or $20 for large passenger vehicles. -by Jonathon Engels; lead image via Canva