Fall is such an amazing time of year and that’s especially true in Oregon. We have amazing autumn colors and temps that turn a little cooler – creating a fun and festive environment for pumpkin celebrating, apple cider donuts and some of the West’s most fun harvest festivals.
Today we’ll highlight the three best farms to join in on the Fall fun throughout Oregon.
The MAiZE at the Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island
Located just 15 minutes out of downtown Portland is the MAiZE – one of Oregon’s large corn mazes and ‘agricultural theme parks’. Sauvie Island is an island in the Willamette River and contains some of the richest soil in the state. The Pumpkin Patch has been in operation for almost 50 years and it’s fun for the whole family. We’ve taken our kids there since they were a few weeks old and it’s definitely worth the drive.
The Pumpkin Patch is on a family-run farm that’s a fully fledged working farm. You can ride on the hay out to the patch, experience Oregon’s premier corn maze and buy all sorts of vegetables and produce. To get a sense of the scale of the maze – see their video. At night closer to Halloween, the Patch puts on a scary version of the maze with spooks, chainsaws and more.
The Pumpkin Patch is good for large groups as well as small ones.
One thing to know about the Pumpkin Patch is that it can get extremely crowded with crazy traffic on Sauvie Island’s narrow two-lane road. Plan for heavy traffic and crowds if you go on a weekend in October. Our tip would be to go on a weekday if possible. 🙂
The Pumpkin Patch is located 15-20 minutes northwest of Portland at 16511 N.W. Gillihan Road, Portland, OR 97231. It’s good for small
Bauman’s Farm near Woodburn
Located halfway between Salem and Portland, Bauman’s Farms is another family-run operating farm. Bauman’s harvest party claims it started in 1985. We love Bauman’s because it’s an easy drive and has lots of activities in addition to the Pumpkin Patch. At the farm, there’s a large playground that kids can play in including slides, swings, play tractors and more. There are multiple mazes, swings, slides obstacle courses and more. Bauman’s means it when they say “come spend the day with us”. Our family enjoys taking the farm tour and seeing how Bauman’s presses and makes their famous apple cider.
With sweeping views of Mount Hood and the surrounding farmland, Bauman’s will not disappoint. Find Bauman’s by taking I-5 – if you’re traveling from Salem, take the Brooks exit and approach the farm from 99E. Alternatively, plus the farm’s address into your preferred mapping software. 12989 Howell Prairie Rd. NE Gervais, OR 97026
Smith Rock Ranch In Terrebonne, Oregon
This last farm visit takes us over to the east side of the Cascades in Terrebonne. Just north of Bend and Redmond, Terrebonne is home to Smith Rock, Oregon’s premier rock climbing destination and one of the most naturally beautiful regions. Smith Rock Ranch grows crops such as wheat, hay, pumpkins and squash. Come Fall though and the farm transitions into pumpkin and harvest party central.
At Smith Rock Ranch, you’ll find pumpkins (of course!), a corn maze, a farm play set, food trucks and apple cider and more. It’s a great place to visit with your family or with multiple families as parking is easy and all logistics with visiting the farm.
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