Get Lost (If You Dare) in America’s 12 Scariest Corn Mazes

If “surviving 20 acres of pure terror” is something that sounds more like a dream than a nightmare, you have to get yourself to Fear Farm this fall. Located just nine miles northwest of Phoenix, there’s nothing but creepy moonlight to guide you to safety as you encounter actors playing maniacal clowns, horrific monsters, and unpredictable psychopaths—all lying in wait to haunt you deep inside this scary corn maze.

Easily reachable from both Boulder and Denver, the Haunted Fields of Screams features the most haunted stretch of road in the entire state of Colorado. But the legend of 11-mile Riverdale Road, which includes stories of hangings and burnings, is only one part of this terrifying attraction. The entire experience—long, blood-splattered, and frightening—consists of a haunted house and a moonlight journey through a 40-acre cornfield with evil beings hoping to make you their next victim and carry you through the gates of hell. Sounds…fun? Sure, the rickety wooden Cyclone roller coaster at nearby Lakeside Amusement Park is scary, but it doesn’t come close to delivering the hours of horror trapped inside this corn maze.

There are two corn maze attractions on offer at Conners Farm. The first has no actors waiting to scare you, but that doesn’t mean you’ll breeze through to safety. This world-famous flashlight corn maze in Danvers is so close to Salem, so you’ll never know for sure if it’s the ghost of a witch rustling the corn or just the wind working its way through the seven acres of maize as you spend up to two hours trying to escape. Once upon a time, a family couldn’t find their way out and had to call 911 to help find the exit. But of course, that little incident won’t scare you…right?

For a guaranteed nighttime nightmare, head into their Haunted Farm instead for a terrifying trek through a fright-filled forest, along the banks of a real swamp, and around a genuine 17th-century burial ground. Now THAT is worthy of a call to 911!

Along the Ohio River, southwest of Louisville, sits one of the scariest corn mazes in America. For 20 years, the six-acre Field of Screams has been delivering what its name promises, thanks in large part to a horrific cast of monsters, bloody creatures, evil clowns, disturbing scenes, and so much more lurking in the scary shadows cast by eerie autumnal moonlight. When paired with the two-story haunted barn, hayride of hell, and forbidden forest, you have the makings of a truly terrifying autumn night in Kentucky.

The only haunted corn maze in the St. Louis area begins with an apocryphal scary story involving the release of ancient demonic spirits possessing the owners of the farm, Red, and Bob, before eventually taking over the souls of their employees too. With pure evil inside them, the brothers were compelled to butcher the farm animals and nearby innocent people before wandering off into the cornfield—the cornfield you’ll need to navigate inside the maniacal maze at Fear Farm. Admission into the Corn Maze Massacre includes the haunted hayride, too, giving you extra boo for your buck.

One of the great things about this immersive corn maze is that it’s tweaked and expanded upon every year. Another benefit is that there are three levels of fear on offer, culminating with the Haunted Overland experience that can be enjoyed with nothing but a glow stick or as a complete blackout. A Day Haunt lets young kids and scaredy-cat adults (like me) in need of different ways of celebrating Halloween, meander through the maze sans the props and gore. The Fright Night Lite is ideal for those who want to experience cool light tricks and spooky sound effects but could do without any creepy monsters chasing them through nightmarish trails.

This four-acre corn maze is as terrifying to read about as it is to walk through. In the dark of night, at one of the scariest corn mazes in America, you’ll be overcome with fear as 10-foot-high stalks surround you, disorienting you and making you wish you loved light and fluffy romcoms instead of deranged horror films. Guests entering the Dark Harvest Corn Maze at Headless Horseman are encouraged to keep their eyes open but minds closed to stay as safe as possible. This is because deranged creatures now call this particular nightmare of a cornfield their home, and they are attempting to recruit people just like you. With their souls lost and bodies transfigured, you’ll be lucky to get out alive, as their will to have you stay with them forever in this dark, haunted place is eternally strong.

Despite the location, your freedom is in doubt when you enter this cleverly named scary corn maze that, while spooky, is actually good for all ages of zombie aficionados. It’s a rat maze with dead ends, trap doors, and many obstacles that will stand in the way of you reaching the exit. Other attractions at this zombie-inspired theme park that are included in the ticket price are a zombie haunted house and a one-way paintball game in which you get to fire away to protect the city from a zombie apocalypse.

Using live actors, animatronics, and special effects, the Dead North Farmland of Terror at the Great Vermont Corn Maze is a mile-long walk through the darkness that has been scaring New England natives and tourists alike for over two decades. With only a handful of dates each year but always brand-new scares and scenes to keep it fresh, this spooky seasonal maze sells out every fall.

The half-mile Haunted Forest Trail is the featured attraction at Panic Point and is the terrifying attraction that started it all at this North Carolina horror wonderland, but Killers in the Corn is one of the scariest corn mazes in the world. It’s included along with five other spooky sights in one ticket price. Described as a trail of terror, live actors are playing the role of vicious killers hunting you down as you stumble and struggle to escape what will soon feel like your own bloody horror flick. A second scary maze is also here, called Stalkers Farm, the plot is that bootleggers and “angry old ladies” who thrive on your fear are out to get you before you can get out of the corn.