6 pumpkin patches south of Seattle

There’s some beautiful farmland to explore south of Seattle, and these six pumpkin patches will give you an excuse to visit it. Bonus: if you manage to get there on a clear day, you might be able to get Mount Rainier in the background of some of your family photos.

Before you go:

Some tips for planning a successful pumpkin patch excursion:

Dress for weather and mud.
Do not bring pets.
COVID-19 restrictions apply in farm country too. Wear masks, bring hand sanitizer, and be prepared to distance.
The COVID-19 rules mean that farms have to limit the number of visitors that come in. If you’re going somewhere that doesn’t take reservations, be ready to kill time for a little while as you wait for your turn in the farm.
Adjust your expectations. Because of the pandemic, some activities you had been anticipated may be canceled or modified.
It’s a good idea to call ahead, especially when you near the end of October. Farms can and do run out of pumpkins.

Carpinito Brothers

This bustling spot in the Kent Valley has a new corn maze each year. This year’s theme: Kraken! Paths are now eight feet wide for COVID-19 safety, but you still have to wear a mask.

The corn maze costs $11 for ages 13 and older, $8 for ages 5-12. Kids aged 4 and under free.

There are also hay rides ($5)

The Farm Fun Yard costs $6 and includes:

Animals, including piglets, rabbits, sheep, cows, goats and chickens.
Rubber Duck Races
Hay Maze
Goat Walk. (You drop a quarter in the feed dispenser, and use a pulley to deliver snacks to hungry goats. They expanded this attraction this year.)

You can also buy kettle corn, roasted corn, and drinks both hot and cold.

Activities that are not offered this year, because of COVID-19: Rodeo Ropin’ Cows, Corn Pit and Hay Slides.

Getting in: Admission: $5. First come, first served.

Hours: Open 9 a.m. to dusk. Last admission for the corn maze is 6 p.m.

27508 West Valley Highway N, Kent

Spooner Farms

Spooner Farms’ 5-acre corn maze is $10 for adults 13 and up and $8 for kids aged 3 to 12.

Other activities: tram rides ($4) Pete’s Playtown, pedal karts, pumpkin sling shots, farm animals, duck races and, on the weekend, pony rides.

There is food and drink for sale.

Getting in: Free admission. Fees for some activities. First-come, first served.

Hours: Pumpkin patch open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Maze hours 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays.

9710 State Route 162 E, Puyallup

253-840-2059

Thomasson Family Farm

Daily activities include a 5-acre corn maze, fairytale trail, animal viewings, a tractor train, hay wagon, duck races, chalkboard house, cattle roping and interactive games.

On weekends only: laser tag, and the apple slingshot.

Activities that are not available because of COVID-19: corn box, hay barn, face painting. Also, there will be no mini donuts or hot dogs for sale this year.

Getting in: You can go to the pumpkin patch without paying admission. Access to activities is $9 on weekdays and $13 on weekends.

Buy tickets in advance online.

Hours: Open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily through Oct. 30, open 9:30 a.m. until noon on Halloween.

38223 236th Ave SE, Enumclaw

360-802-0503

Double R Farms

Double R Farms has a five-acre corn maze ($5 per person), and three pumpkin slingshots, one of which is just for kids ($1 per shot).

Because of COVID-19, there will be no hay rides this year.

Lumberjack Popcorn’s food truck will be there on weekends.

Getting in: Admission is free.

Hours: Open 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends.

5820 44th St E, Puyallup

253-227-5385

Picha Farms

Photo from Picha Farms

The theme for Picha Farms’ corn maze ($6 per person) is “Releasing the Kraken.” The maze challenges people to find the answers to eight Kraken trivia questions as they make their way down the paths (which are eight feet wide, to allow for distancing). If you finish the maze, you win a mini pumpkin.

There are also hay rides ($3 per person), a slingshot ($1 per shot) and a kiddie train ($1 per ride).

Getting in: Admission is free.

Hours: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends.

6502 52nd St E, Puyallup

253-841-4443

Maris Farms

Photo from Maris Farms

Daily activities at Maris Farm include: the corn maze, tube slide, zip lines, wagon ride, kiddie cow train, wall mazes, animal barn, ga-ga ball, corn hole, human foosball, color change maze, trike races, the farm playground, tetherball and rubber duck races.

On weekends, there’s also catch-and-release trout fishing.

Activities that are not offered because of COVID-19: the corn room, live pig and duck races, zombie paintball, escape room, tug-o-war, jumping pillow, speleo cave, bounce house, mechanical bull and digger dell.

There is also a flashlight corn-maze ($16) from dusk to 9:30 p.m. on weekend nights and on October 11, 18 and 25, and a “Haunted Woods” attraction on those same nights (times vary) ($35-$50).

Getting in: Admission is $10 if you are doing no activities. With activities, it is $16 for an adult 13 and older, and $14 for a child age 3-12 on weekdays, and $20 for an adult 13 and older and $18 for a child aged 3-12 on weekdays.

Buy tickets in advance online.

Hours: Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Closed Tuesdays. Open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Night activities: Flashlight corn maze dusk to 9:30 p.m. on weekend nights and Oct. 11, 18 and 25, “Haunted Woods” those same nights, but hours vary.

25001 Sumner-Buckley Hwy, Buckley

253-862-2848