The best fall pumpkin patches in Stanly County, NC (2026)
Every pumpkin patch, corn maze and fall farm event we could verify in and around Stanly County this season, with dates, prices, directions and an honest report card for each one.
Photo: Katangais / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. A pumpkin field in Robeson County, NC, shown for illustration; not a Stanly County farm.
Updated October 15, 2026. Stanly County is farm country, but it has fewer big agritourism pumpkin patches than you might expect. Most of the large fall farms that Stanly families visit sit just over the county line in Cabarrus, Rowan and Union counties. So we checked everything. We read farm websites, organizer social posts, tourism-bureau calendars and local news to build one list of what is actually open in fall 2026. We call out the places that have closed, the places we couldn’t confirm, and the one-day events that are already over.
Below you’ll find three verified Stanly County picks, six well-documented farms that are worth the drive, and a clear grading method. Nothing here is paid placement. Every price and hour comes from the farm or organizer, linked in the sources box at the bottom.
Quick picks and grades
Grades: Family fun / Variety / Value / Photo ops / Convenience. Score = A 3, B 2, C 1, out of 15.
| # | Place | Town | 2026 dates | Admission | Grades | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Stanly County | ||||||
| 1 | Thomas Family Corn Maze | Albemarle | Sept 26 – Nov 1 (Fri–Sun) | $15 + tax | A A B B A | 13 |
| 2 | Autumn at the Acres, Sprouting Acres Farm Store | Oakboro | Sat, Oct 17 only | Free | A B A B B | 12 |
| 3 | Spring Lake Haunted Farm (haunt) | Albemarle | Oct 17, 23, 24, 30, 31 | Not yet published | C C C C B | 6 |
| Worth the drive nearby | ||||||
| N1 | Deer Run Farm | Midland (Cabarrus) | Through Oct 31 (Wed–Sun) | $12 | A A A A A | 15 |
| N2 | Almond Farm | Concord (Cabarrus) | Sept 26 – Nov 1 (Wed–Sun) | $21.99 typical gate price* | A A C A B | 12 |
| N3 | Patterson Farm Market & Tours | Mount Ulla (Rowan) | Sept 14 – Nov 21 (daily to Nov 1) | $14.95–$22.95 | A A C A B | 12 |
| N4 | Outlaw Acres | Monroe (Union) | Sept 19 – Nov 1 (Sat–Sun) | $16 | A A B A C | 12 |
| N5 | Starworks Glass Pumpkin Patch | Star (Montgomery) | Through fall, while supplies last (Mon–Sat) | Free to browse | B C A A B | 11 |
| N6 | Country Days Corn Maze | Indian Trail (Union) | Sept 25 – Nov 7 (Fri–Sun) | $15 | B C B B B | 9 |
*Almond Farm sells tickets online; the $21.99 figure is the typical gate price reported by Axios Charlotte/WBTV in September 2026. Confirm the current price on the farm’s ticket page.
How we graded: published offerings only, never paid placement
No farm paid to be listed or ranked, and none was told about this article. We did not visit in person for this guide, so grades reflect only what each farm or organizer has published for 2026: hours, prices and the activities they list. If a farm offers something it doesn’t advertise, it won’t show up here. Here’s the rubric:
Family fun: A = five or more published kid-focused attractions; B = two to four; C = one or fewer, or mainly for teens and adults (haunts).
Variety: We check for six classic fall-farm elements: pumpkins, corn maze, hayride or wagon ride, farm animals, play equipment and food. A = 5–6 of them, B = 3–4, C = 0–2.
Value: A = free, or $12 or less per person; B = $13–$16; C = $17 or more, or no price published yet.
Photo ops: A = the operator advertises dedicated photo features (photo-op areas, flower fields, art displays or a designed maze); B = pumpkin and field scenery with some photo spots shown; C = nothing published.
Convenience (for Stanly residents): A = in Stanly County or right on its edge and open three or more days a week; B = in-county with limited dates, or a neighboring-county farm open several days a week; C = weekends only and a longer drive.
Overall score converts each grade to points (A = 3, B = 2, C = 1) for a maximum of 15. Ties are broken by distance from Albemarle.
Stanly County rankings
Three verified 2026 options inside the county line, listed best first.
Representative photo, not taken at this farm. Photo: Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Thomas Family Corn Maze
It’s the only dedicated corn maze and full fall-farm attraction we could verify inside Stanly County for 2026, and our top in-county pick. The farm says its corn maze covers about 10 acres and contains three separate mazes. If you get turned around, staff will come find you; the farm publishes phone numbers for that. Teens get giant slides, a jump pillow, the barrel train and the mazes. Little ones get corn pits, a playground, swing sets and sandboxes. Grown-ups get the hayride and a place to sit while everyone else runs. Pumpkins and mums are for sale, and there are concessions on site, including kettle corn.
Accessibility: The farm says its hayride is handicap accessible (tell the driver before boarding) and some of its portable restrooms are handicap-accessible. Maze paths are dirt: mostly clear, but they can be uneven, soft or muddy after rain. Wear closed-toe shoes; bare feet aren’t allowed.
Good to know: Pets aren’t allowed; official service animals are. Children 15 and under must be with an adult. Smoking is allowed only in the parking lot. Cards are accepted with a 3.5% fee. Birthday packages cost $150 + tax and include 10 tickets and a reserved picnic shelter for two hours. Groups and field trips need reservations.
Representative photo, not taken at this farm. Photo: Virginia State Parks / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Autumn at the Acres, Sprouting Acres Farm Store
Sprouting Acres is a family-run vegetable farm in Oakboro with a farm store on Silver Road. Its one-day fall festival, Autumn at the Acres, was rained out on its original October 10 date and moved to its rain date, Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The farm’s latest post promises vendors, food trucks, a corn pit, a bouncy house and mini Highland cows, with free admission and free parking. The original announcement also listed pumpkin painting (“pick your pumpkin and get creative”), face painting, kettle corn and cotton candy. A Carolina Country event listing describes 40+ local crafters.
This isn’t a full pumpkin farm, and there’s no maze or hayride. But for a free, low-key Saturday with small kids and cows to pet, it’s hard to beat. The store itself is open Tuesday–Friday 10–5 and Saturday 10–3, and its fall posts mention pumpkin-spice drinks and seasonal goods.
Representative photo, not taken at this farm. Photo: Hugho226 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Spring Lake Haunted Farm
This is a haunt, not a pumpkin patch. But if your fall plans lean scary, it’s the county’s dedicated Halloween attraction. It runs on the Old Salisbury Road farm that is also home to Spring Lake Family Farms, an aquaponics and hydroponics farm store. The regional haunt directory lists five 2026 nights: October 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31. It rates the haunt “Very Scary” and notes paid parking, a no-touching policy and snacks. The organizers call it family-friendly, but our grades treat it as a teen-and-adult outing. Ticket prices were still listed as “TBD” when we checked, so look at the farm’s Facebook page before you go.
Worth the drive nearby
Well-documented 2026 fall farms in Cabarrus, Rowan, Union and Montgomery counties. We found no well-documented 2026 pumpkin farm in Anson County.
Representative photo, not taken at this farm. Photo: Willthacheerleader18 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Deer Run Farm
Visit Stanly describes Deer Run as west of Locust on NC 24/27, which makes it the easiest big farm for western Stanly families. It’s also the only farm on our list to earn straight A’s. Admission is $12 per person (2 and under free). That covers the pumpkin patch, hayrides, the corn maze, barn animals, slides and more. Pick-your-own pumpkins cost 70¢ a pound. Cabarrus County’s tourism bureau also lists lassoing the bull, gravity-wagon basketball, a combine slide, a jump pad, a straw mountain, tire play and toddler activities. The 2026 maze has a patriotic “USA 250” design for the nation’s 250th anniversary. Other perks include flower fields, a food vendor, and a farm store with local honey, baked goods, cider and jams.
Representative photo, not taken at this farm. Photo: Willthacheerleader18 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Almond Farm
Almond Farm lists more named attractions than any other farm in this guide. There’s a pumpkin patch, u-pick wildflowers, farm animals to feed, a corn maze and hayrides. Kids also get a trike track, a corn barn, a sand area, pipe slides, a jump pad, a bubble station, farm games, grain-bin basketball, a toddler zone and an inflatable obstacle course. Every Saturday and Sunday, an excavator drops candy at noon and 3 p.m. On Oct 31 and Nov 1, Tract-or-Treat adds trick-or-treating through farm equipment. Weekday hayrides are by appointment only. The farm opened a new entrance and parking area for 2026: coming north on US-601 from Midland and Locust, your turn is a little past the curve.
Representative photo, not taken at this farm. Photo: Katangais / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Patterson Farm Market & Tours
Patterson’s Fall Fun on the Farm advertises 40+ attractions and runs the longest season here: September 14 to November 21. The farm names a corn maze, the barnyard, a wagon ride, PawPaw Carl’s Playground, Agmagination play areas, a new Tractor Track and a “We Dig AG!” zone. Add-ons include goat fishing and gem mining. The market sells pumpkins, and you don’t need an admission ticket to shop for pumpkins. The ice cream shop serves seasonal flavors and apple cinnamon donuts. Pricing changes by day: weekday Farm Fun Passes are $14.95 online or $17.95 at the gate, and October weekends are $19.95 online or $22.95 at the gate. Seniors 55+ get 10% off on Tuesdays, and there’s a 10% military discount. Last entry is one hour before closing.
Representative photo, not taken at this farm. Photo: Katangais / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Outlaw Acres
Outlaw Acres builds its fall season around an 1800s-style Old West town. Admission is $16 (3 and under free) and covers the corn maze, a new-for-2026 Super Mega Slide, an animal barn, play areas and live music and western mini-shows. Pumpkins, food at the Chuckwagon Café, animal feed cups and a kids’ airsoft shooting range cost extra. The farm says staff will help carry pumpkins and that you can pull your vehicle up to load them. It also advertises photo ops in the pumpkin area and the market store. No dogs.
Representative photo of real pumpkins, not Starworks’ glass ones. Photo: Virginia State Parks / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Starworks Glass Pumpkin Patch
Every pumpkin here is made of glass. Starworks, a nonprofit arts center in Montgomery County, calls this North Carolina’s largest and longest-running glass pumpkin patch. Its artists hand-blow thousands of one-of-a-kind pumpkins, from classic orange to jewel tones, plus ghosts, bats and witch hats. The display opened September 19 and stays up through October while supplies last, so go early for the best selection. Browsing is free, and purchases support Starworks’ education programs. It’s indoors, so it’s a good backup when the farm fields are muddy. There’s a café and taproom on site, and a few designs are sold online.
Representative photo, not taken at this farm. Photo: Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Country Days Corn Maze
Country Days is all about the maze, and it stays open late. Its 2026 design celebrates America’s 250th anniversary. Axios Charlotte reports two mazes: the seven-acre “Big Ears Maze” and the “Little Ears Maze” for kids 10 and under. The farm is open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is $15 for ages 3 and up, per the same report. The farm offers a $1 discount for health-care workers, public servants, educators, military, veterans and seniors 65+ with ID. Concessions are weekends only, last maze entry is 45 minutes before closing, and card payments carry a 2.6% fee. No pets, and shirts and shoes are required. Wet weather closes it: the farm shut on Sunday, October 11.
By the numbers
Figures from farm and organizer websites, October 2026.
Named activities per farm
Distinct attractions each farm or organizer lists by name for 2026. Patterson advertises “40+” in total but names 11.
Rust bars = in Stanly County; green = nearby. Counts are our tally of attractions named on each official page or organizer post, so they measure what’s advertised, not the size of the farm.
Closed, already happened, or unconfirmed for 2026
These places turn up in older lists and search results. Here’s where they stand.
| Place | Town | 2026 status | What we found |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Longhorn Ranch Fall Festival | Richfield | Already happened (Sept 20) | A free, one-day festival at 2390 Wyatt Grove Church Rd, advertised with a pumpkin patch, hayrides, ranch animals and vendors. Watch the ranch’s Facebook page ↗ for 2027. |
| Juneberry Ridge, Founder’s Day Jams | Norwood | Already happened (Oct 10) | The farm’s fall concert with a fall menu and a behind-the-scenes look at the farm. It’s not a pumpkin patch, but it’s a good farm visit; see juneberry.com ↗ and our Norwood guide. |
| Riverbend Farm | Midland (Cabarrus) | Closed for pumpkins | The long-running McManus Road patch posted that it is “no longer growing pumpkins” and that its final season was last year. It also said a “Last Harvest” event promoted for Oct 10 was not a farm event. |
| Sunny Oaks Farm | Albemarle (24522 NC 24/27) | Unconfirmed for 2026. Call ahead. | Sunny Oaks has opened a fall pumpkin patch in past seasons. Its current website focuses on Belted Galloway cattle and cut flowers, and we found no 2026 pumpkin dates. Listed phone: 704-785-0614. |
| Thomas Family Farm | Richfield (44161 Millingport Rd) | Unconfirmed for 2026. Call ahead. | The Stanly News Journal covered pumpkin picking here in 2020. We couldn’t confirm a separate 2026 season at this address. |
Church pumpkin patches and farmers markets
Many North Carolina churches sell pumpkins on their lawns each October to raise money for youth trips and missions. As of October 15 we could not verify a public church pumpkin patch in Stanly County for 2026 with posted dates and hours, so we haven’t listed or graded any. We’d rather leave a church out than send you to an empty lawn. If your congregation is running one, send it to our events calendar with dates, hours and a link, and we’ll add it here.
The Albemarle Downtown Farmers Market (formerly the Stanly County Farmers Market) runs Saturdays through October, 8 a.m. to noon, at Market Station, 501 W. Main St. It sells local produce, meats, baked goods and crafts. What each vendor brings changes week to week, so we can’t promise pumpkins. Several farms on this list sell pumpkins without an admission ticket, including Patterson’s market, Thomas Family Corn Maze (pumpkins and mums) and Deer Run (70¢/lb).
More free fall fun in Stanly County
Downtown Albemarle Fall Festival & trick-or-treating: Thursday, Oct 29, 5:30–7:30 p.m., with face painting, a costume contest and food trucks (Albemarle Downtown). Locust Fall Festival: Saturday, Oct 31, 6–8 p.m. at Locust Park, 2884 Park Drive. It’s free, with trick-or-treating, free hot dogs, bounce houses, a rock wall and fire trucks (Living Locust). Neither event includes a pumpkin patch.
Planning tips
Practical advice drawn from the farms’ own rules and FAQs.
What to bring
Closed-toe shoes you don’t mind getting muddy (Thomas Family Corn Maze bans bare feet and warns that paths turn muddy after rain). Layers for a cool hayride. Cash and a card: card fees run 2.6% at Country Days and 3.5% at Thomas. A wagon or stroller for hauling pumpkins. Wipes or hand sanitizer for after the corn pit.
Best days to go
Weekdays are cheaper and calmer where farms are open. Deer Run opens Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, and Patterson’s weekday pass is $5 less than its October weekend price. Weekends get you the full show: Almond’s candy dumps, Thomas’s Sunday afternoon hours, and live music at Outlaw Acres. Arrive at opening, and at least two hours before closing at Patterson, where last entry is an hour before close.
Weather
Rain closes fields fast. Country Days closed on Sunday, October 11, because of wet conditions, and Thomas operates “weather permitting.” Check each farm’s Facebook or Instagram the morning you go. On a soggy day, Starworks’ indoor glass pumpkin patch is a dry alternative.
Pets, groups and parties
Leave the dog at home. Thomas, Country Days and Outlaw Acres don’t allow pets (service animals excepted at Thomas and Country Days). Groups need reservations at Thomas, and several farms sell birthday packages. Thomas’s package costs $150 + tax for 10 tickets and a two-hour shelter.
Farm fields in southwest Stanly County. Photo: PlaneManRockFan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pumpkin patch FAQ
What’s the closest corn maze to Albemarle?
Thomas Family Corn Maze at 20935 NC-73 is the dedicated corn maze inside Stanly County. It’s open Friday through Sunday through November 1. Deer Run Farm, west of Locust in Midland, is the next-closest full fall farm.
Is there a free pumpkin patch near Stanly County?
Autumn at the Acres in Oakboro (Saturday, Oct 17) has free admission and parking. Starworks’ glass pumpkin patch in Star is free to browse. At Patterson Farm in Mount Ulla, you can shop for pumpkins at the market without buying an admission ticket.
Which pumpkin patch has the cheapest admission?
Among full-service farms, Deer Run Farm is lowest at $12 per person, covering the pumpkin patch, hayrides, corn maze, animals and slides. Pumpkins are 70¢ a pound on top of that.
When do the pumpkin patches close for the season?
Deer Run closes October 31. Thomas Family Corn Maze, Almond Farm and Outlaw Acres close November 1, and Country Days runs through November 7. Patterson Farm runs latest, through November 21, on reduced hours after November 1.
Are dogs allowed?
Generally, no. Thomas Family Corn Maze, Country Days and Outlaw Acres all say no pets or no dogs, with service-animal exceptions at Thomas and Country Days. Check before bringing a dog anywhere else.
Is there anything wheelchair-friendly?
Thomas Family Corn Maze says its hayride is handicap accessible, and some of its portable restrooms are handicap-accessible. Maze paths are dirt and can be uneven. Almond Farm publishes an accessibility statement on its website. Indoor Starworks avoids field terrain entirely. Call any farm ahead about specific needs.
Are there haunted attractions in Stanly County?
Spring Lake Haunted Farm on Old Salisbury Road in Albemarle runs five nights in 2026: October 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31. Its directory listing rates it “Very Scary,” so it’s best for teens and adults.
Why isn’t my favorite farm on the list?
We only rank places that published 2026 dates or hours we could verify. If we couldn’t confirm a place is operating, we either left it out or labeled it “unconfirmed.” Farm owners can send updates through our events page.
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