It’s officially gourd season. Here are our top suggestions for which pumpkin patch to pick, depending on the fall experience you’re craving.
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Pumpkin Festival at Chatfield Farms | Oct. 7–9
This annual pumpkin festival runs one weekend only, and the main attraction is the 10-acre pumpkin patch full of 40 varieties of gourds. There will also be a corn maze, carnival games, barrel train rides, kid’s activities such as face painting and balloon making, live music, and food and drink vendors. As an added perk, any Pumpkin Festival ticket also includes admission to the entire 700-acre Chatfield Farms, which is a working farm operated by the Denver Botanic Gardens. It has 2.5 miles of trails through its native plant refuge, plus wildflower gardens and A+ bird-watching. The folks at Chatfield Farms were even thoughtful enough to offer free “pumpkin day care,” so you can leave your pumpkins safely under their watch while you enjoy your day. 8500 W Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton; 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; Tickets are $11–15 for nonmembers and $9–13 for Denver Botanic Garden members, and it is highly recommended to purchase in advance online; Pumpkins priced by size
Fritzler Farm Park Fall Festival | through Oct. 30
With nearly 75 acres to roam, Fritzler Farms has plenty of activities to keep the whole family entertained. There’s paintball and go-karts—and 14-acre pumpkin patch, where folks can choose from more than 20 varieties and pick their faves off the vine. Owner Trevor Fritzler’s pride and joy is the farm’s famous, elaborately designed 15-acre corn maze that, in past years, has featured a portrait tribute to his parents, the Seal of the President of the United States, and the Iwo Jima Memorial. This year’s maze design is inspired by Hero Expeditions, a Colorado–based nonprofit that organizes hunting and fishing expeditions for veterans and first responders. (A portion of all ticket sales for this year’s festival will go to Hero Expeditions.) Feeling brave? Visit the farm after sunset for “Scream Acres,” where the entire festival transforms into a spooky, macabre affair, complete with a haunted house. 20861 CR 33, LaSalle; Friday–Sunday, times vary; Fun Pass tickets are $19.95 in advance online and $24.95 at the gate; Ultimate Fun Pass tickets for additional paintball, pumpkin cannon, and other attractions are $31.95 in advance online and $36.95 at the gate; Pumpkins priced by weight
7th Generation Farm Pumpkin Patch | through Oct. 31
The wide open space at 7th Generation Farm’s Pumpkin Patch is perfect for kiddos to run around, climb hale bay mountains, and scale a giant straw-bale pirate ship. Activities are geared toward younger children, including a kids straw bale maze, corn tubs (think: sandbox, but corn kernels), and hayrides. You can choose from pre-picked pumpkins on display or wander through the staged pumpkin patch and pick your own. New this year are the rubber ducky races, where kids can choose from Minecraft-, pirate-, and other-themed ducks to “race” down 30-foot PVC waterslides. Local vendors are onsite offering fresh pumpkin bread, jams, and honeys for sale; the farm stand is also open to purchase meat, eggs, roasted chilies, and more. 1536 Courtesy Rd., Louisville; Tuesday–Sunday, times vary; Tickets are $6 at the gate; Pumpkins priced by size
Miller Farms Annual Fall Harvest Festival | through mid-November
At Miller Farms, visitors are treated to a hayride through 180 acres of fields, where you can pick organic, pesticide-free pumpkins, as well as potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, corn, squash, peppers, and more. The price of admission includes up to four bags of vegetables per person. Or, if harvesting isn’t your thing, visit the customer-favorite “Wagon Sale,” where you can fill a red Radio Flyer with all the pre-picked veggies that you can fit for only $40. The festival also features classic attractions like corn mazes, an antique tractor alley, a hay bale pyramid, and lawn games. Other kid favorites include a 20-foot-tall dirt hill that kids can slide and sled down, as well as the “Croc-pit”—a play pit full of thousands of cut-up Crocs shoes (given to the farm by the Broomfield–based company when it nearly went out of business in 2018) that give the pit a trampoline-like bouncing experience. 13912 County Road 19, Platteville; 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Tickets are $15–25 at the gate, which includes up to four bags per person; Pumpkins included in the four-bag limit
Nick’s Fall Fest | through Oct. 31
If you’re not feeling a long drive out of the city, Nick’s Garden Center and Farm Market in Aurora throws an annual Nick’s Fall Fest with a variety of pumpkins to choose from, plus activities for every kind of kiddo. There are no tickets required to enter this bash, and it’s free to enjoy the straw maze, Professor Pumpkin story time, kid’s play area, and various games. They also offer pedal karts, an inflatable obstacle course, putt-putt golf, and train rides through a haunted tunnel for an additional charge. Pro tip: Stop by this daily fall festival on a weekday to avoid the crowds and get your garden shopping done at the same time with help from their friendly and knowledgeable staff. 2001 S Chambers Rd., Aurora; Monday–Saturday 8 a.m.–6 p.m; Sunday 9 a.m.–5 p.m; Free admission with additional pricing for activities; Pumpkins priced by size
Cottonwood Farm Pumpkin Patch | through Oct. 31
Cottonwood Farms is a smaller-but-beloved operation that offers a 10-acre pumpkin patch with straw bale and corn mazes, wagon rides, and yard games. Many families love the multiple photo stand opportunities—a favorite is the “How Tall This Fall?” ruler board, which many families make sure to take a benchmark photo in front of every year. 10600 Isabelle Rd., Lafayette; 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Tickets are $5 in advance online (recommended) and $7 at the gate; Pumpkins priced by size
Mile High Farms Fall Festival | through Oct. 30
Mile High Farms is abundant with cozy autumn photo opps, as the owners have constructed an entire village on the working farm made up of buildings, life-size characters, and antique farming equipment. This fall festival is in its 12th year running, and families love the tractor ride to Mile High Farms’ 12-acre pumpkin patch, where there are workers standing by to help you cut your pumpkin right off the vine. 11 Cavanaugh Rd., Bennett; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Tickets are $12–17 and can be purchased in advance online or at the gate; Pumpkins priced by weight
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