Ready for a fun, time-honored fall adventure? Corn mazes across Vermont are now open.

April Barton, Burlington Free Press
·6 min read

Leaf-peeping, apple-picking, choosing the perfect pumpkin. Fall activities have returned, but a Vermont autumn wouldn't be complete without the chance to get lost among 10-feet tall stalks of corn.

Corn mazes are open now, offering visitors a chance to test their sense of direction, puzzle-solving skills and, in some cases, sheer sense of will. Of course, some mazes are designed to be easier to navigate than others.

A couple prominent corn mazes end their season halfway through October, while others will remain through Halloween. A few host spooky days or events leading up to All Hallows' Eve or have a pumpkin patch on the premises for grabbing fall decorations or jack-o-lantern pumpkins.

So, get your comfy shoes, bag of snacks, can-do attitude and maze-solving strategy − there are about a dozen mazes across Vermont and the nearby area to explore.

A fork in the road at Sam Mazza's Farm Market corn maze on Oct. 16, 2022.
A fork in the road at Sam Mazza's Farm Market corn maze on Oct. 16, 2022.

Corn mazes in Chittenden County

If Chittenden County corn mazes were compared to schools, then the elementary maze would be Isham Family Farm, middle school challenge would be Whitcomb's Land of Pumpkins & Corn Maze and the high school-level puzzle would be Sam Mazza's Farm Market.

The three mazes have come to be known for their varying puzzle designs each year, incorporating fun and learning along the way and surprises to find among the stalks. Here's what to know about these three local mazes.

Isham Family Farm

This year corn maze navigators can make their way through the stalks looking for the four Vermont animals: the varmint, critter, holy cow and jeezum crow. Among the two-acre challenge, the experience includes elements of fun in dead-ends, misdirection and helpful signs. The maze also celebrates the four b's: birds, bees, bugs and butterflies.

Season: Sep. 3 through end of October or after a couple hard frostsHours: Everyday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Address: 3515 Oak Hill Road, WillistonCost: $5 per person or $20 per family (cash and Venmo accepted)More info: ishamfamilyfarm.com, 802-872-1525 or farmermike@ishamfamilyfarm.com

Whitcomb's Land of Pumpkins & Corn Maze

Whitcomb's four-acre maze's five checkpoints highlight daily chores that keep the farm operational. By visiting each checkpoint, visitors can get the letters needed to solve a word scramble. There's also a candy jackpot in the maze and a hidden marked ear of corn, that when found, earns the finder a free small pumpkin or some gourds to take home.

Season: Begins Sep. 16 Hours: Wednesdays 1 to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Address: 347 Fay Lane, WillistonCost: $6 ages five and up, Free for children four and youngerMore info: whitcombslandofpumpkins.com, whitcombslandofpumpkins@gmail.com

Sam Mazza's Farm Market

At Sam Mazza's, there are 12 checkpoints in its sprawling corn maze to help orienteers make their way through seemingly endless stalks without getting lost. This year's theme is dinosaurs. Budding paleontologists can bring their knowledge and attention to detail to assist them making it through the puzzle.

Season: Sep. 8 through Oct. 31Hours: Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Address: 277 Lavigne Road, ColchesterCost: $11 for ages 12 and up, $6 for 3 to 11 years old, Free for two and underMore info: sammazzafarms.com, (802) 655-3440, smazzafarms@comcast.net, facebook.com/sammazzafarmmarket

Not just in Greek myth or relegated to a labyrinth, a minotaur inhabits the Great Vermont Corn Maze in Danville on Oct. 5, 2019.
Not just in Greek myth or relegated to a labyrinth, a minotaur inhabits the Great Vermont Corn Maze in Danville on Oct. 5, 2019.

Corn mazes worth the drive

Looking to take your corn maze skills to the next level or have a unique day trip experience? Here are a couple worth consideration.

Great Vermont Corn Maze

The Great Vermont Corn Maze in Danville would be the collegiate level corn maze. The largest corn maze in New England is celebrating 25 years of "cornfusion" this year. There's the big maze, a 24-acre sprawl with tunnels and bridges that can take puzzlers two to four hours to complete. Or, there's the scenic maze which offers directions and can be completed within an hour. An emergency exit trail allows those needing a quick exit to utilize the facilities or grab a snack and then get back to where they left off. There's also an extensive children's play area. Expect the visit to take most of the day − at an hour and a half drive from Burlington and multiple hours, potentially, in the maze.

Season: July 29 through Oct. 15Hours: Weekdays 9 a.m. to noon entrance (closed Tuesdays); Saturdays and Sundays maze entrance from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.Address: 1404 Wheelock Road, DanvilleCost: $25 per person ages 16 to 59, $15 for 5 to 15 and 60+, Free for four and under. Tickets tend to sell out on weekends and holidays, so ordering in advance is recommended. Buy tickets online at greatvermont.cornmazetickets.com or call/text 802-397-8574. (Visitors age 15 and younger require direct adult supervision.)More info: vermontcornmaze.com, 802-748-1399, info@vermontcornmaze.com

Fort Ticonderoga Corn Maze

Just over the border into New York and still on Lake Champlain is a unique experience that combines exploration of history and a corn maze. The Heroic Corn Maze at Fort Ticonderoga employs clues that connect to the story of the fort. There are two phases to the maze; this allows visitors the option to continue further. There are also ways to exit quickly, if needed. The drive is about an hour and a half from Burlington, but the site offers visitors many more experiences than the corn maze.

Season: July 29 through Oct. 15Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last entry into corn maze at 4:30 p.m. each day.Address: 102 Fort Ti Road; Ticonderoga, New YorkCost: Admission to the museum includes the corn maze. $27 for adults, $25 for seniors, $13 for ages 5 to 15.More info: fortticonderoga.org, (518) 585-2821, info@fort-ticonderoga.org

Wandering through rows of corn looking for the exit at Sam Mazza's Farm Market corn maze on Oct. 16, 2022.
Wandering through rows of corn looking for the exit at Sam Mazza's Farm Market corn maze on Oct. 16, 2022.

Corn mazes across Vermont

If life-size walking puzzles are your thing, there are more corn mazes across Vermont open for exploration. Here are some others to try and their approximate driving time from Burlington.

Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Corn mazes across Vermont and Lake Champlain area