There is something about October in Eastern Idaho. The air turns crisp, the leaves along the Teton Scenic Byway start to turn, and every farm stand around Rexburg starts filling up with pumpkins. If you are looking for an easy, memorable outing with your little one this fall, a local pumpkin patch is hard to beat.
Here are a few options close to home, from farms right around Rexburg to a short drive into Idaho Falls.
Close to Rexburg
Country Trails Corn Maze, out at 2101 W 6300 S, is one of the closest options to town. Families have found a ten acre corn maze for bigger kids, plus a smaller straw maze and corn pit that are a better fit for toddlers and preschoolers, along with a barrel train, tractor ride and a sixty foot slide.
Ashland Produce Pumpkin Patch, just outside Rigby, offers a free children's maze made of straw bales along with pumpkins to pick, which makes it a nice low key stop for younger kids who get overwhelmed by bigger attractions.
Red Barnes Pumpkin Patch, east of Rigby in the Clark area, leans into the full fall festival feel with a straw maze, bounce pads, a small farm animal petting area with goats and donkeys, and a pea pit, a sandbox filled with dried peas instead of sand, which little ones tend to love.
A short drive into Idaho Falls
If you do not mind a little extra drive time, Idaho Falls has a few well loved options too:
- New Sweden Farms, with a corn maze, pumpkin patch, candy store and pony rides
- U-Pick Red Barn, with sixteen acres of pumpkins, a big slide and a small train
- Wild Adventure Corn Maze, with a large maze, tube slides and a barrel train out to the pumpkin patch
A few things to know before you go
Hours, dates and prices at these farms change from year to year and sometimes week to week depending on weather, so the most reliable way to plan your visit is to check each farm's Facebook page or call ahead before you load everyone in the car.
A few other things that make these outings easier with young children:
- Go earlier in the day. Mornings tend to be quieter and less crowded, and little ones are usually at their best before nap time.
- Dress in layers. Farm visits mean standing around outside, and Eastern Idaho mornings can be chilly even on a sunny fall day. Our post on dressing kids for Idaho's cold weather has a simple layering system that works well for farm outings too.
- Skip the stroller on muddy ground. Many patches sit on dirt or gravel that does not roll well. A carrier or just holding hands often works better for the littlest visitors.
- Bring wipes. Pumpkins, hay and farm animals are wonderfully messy, in the best way.
If a corn maze feels like too much maze for a toddler, call ahead and ask whether the farm has a smaller kids' maze or straw maze. Most of the farms listed here do, and it is a much better fit for shorter attention spans and shorter legs.
Fall outings like these are a simple way to get outside together, let little ones explore something new, and make the kind of memory that sticks. Whichever patch you choose, we hope you find the perfect pumpkin.
Sources: East Idaho News, fall family fun in eastern Idaho; Idaho Falls Magazine, local pumpkin patches to visit; East Idaho News, Red Barnes Pumpkin Patch