Corn Maze in the Moscow Pullman Daily News today

October promises frighteningly good fun this year

Corn mazes, pumpkin patches abound this fall

Brandon Macz Daily News staff writer

Posted on: Saturday, October 09, 2010

Photos:

Geoff Crimmins/Daily News

Corn Maze on the PalouseWhile the weather is still settling into its fall chill, people taking advantage of the agreeable temperatures this month have a lot to look forward to on the Palouse and the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley leading up to October's Halloween finale.

This new addition to the Palouse opened last weekend just outside of Pullman on State Route 27 and features a 4-acre corn maze made more difficult to navigate the later people go, said Derek Murphy, maze coordinator and leadership resident with Real Life Ministries Church, which is putting on the event.

The Corn Maze on the Palouse runs noon-10 p.m. Saturdays and 6-10 p.m. Sunday. Starting Oct. 15, the maze will be open 6-10 p.m. every day but the earlier start-up times Saturdays all the way to Halloween with a scarier maze on Freaky Fridays, which is "for teens and college students who want to come in and get scared," Murphy said. "We also have a straw maze for younger kids to go through."

The farm was made available by owners and church members, Steve and Kevin Mader, and also boasts a corn launcher - one of the most popular attractions, Murphy said - where people shoot ears of corn from a giant slingshot at a target for prizes.

Admittance to the Corn Maze on the Palouse is $5 for adults, $3 for children 3-12 and children two and under get in free.

Murphy said last weekends run was a great success and the maze typically takes people a half-hour to clear, though many end up never finding the exits, instead coming back through the maze entrance.

"Everybody who went through this weekend was very excited," he said. "It gets increasingly difficult as it gets darker. It's got quite a few deadends, switchbacks. We've had people say they've gone down the same turnaround three times." He added there will be volunteers navigating the maze to offer assistance to "people who may be directionally challenged."

It is highly recommended that participants bring flashlights, and this weekend is also the start of pumpkin sales at the farm though novice carvers will have a chance to learn from an expert 2-5 p.m. Oct. 16 provided by the Daily News as part of our online pumpkin carving contest at www.dnewscontests.com.

Murphy said the church plans on distributing some of the proceeds throughout the community and several members are expected to solicit ideas from the Pullman City Council.

"We really want to fill a need in the community is where we're heading," he said. "We're still looking. We really want to help the community in a big way."

For more information, call (208)882-2484 or visit www.cornmazeotp.com.