It’s not autumn in Boulder without some good old-fashioned pumpkin picking! Head out to these farms and breathe in the crisp, fall air, find the just-right pumpkin and take in the mountain views and fall foliage. Best to bring cash and a bottle of water and leave your pets at home.
The easiest pumpkin patch to get to from central Boulder, Munson Farms is within the city limits yet has a sprawling, u-pick pumpkin patch with sweeping mountain views. Try your hand at the corn maze or just shop the farm stand, overflowing with Indian corn, gourds of every shape, and a rainbow of pumpkin varieties to choose from. Admission is free; pumpkins and produce are priced by the pound.
Hours: Through October. Daily, 9 am-6:30 pm.
At Red Wagon Farm, northeast of Boulder by just 10 miles, you can head out to the field to choose your own pumpkin or just nab one from the farm stand. There are views of distinctive Haystack Mountain; you’ll see alpacas, llamas, goats, chickens, and geese; and you can play in the hay bale maze. Admission is free.
Hours: Early October through Halloween. Daily, 10 am-6 pm.
It’s a straight shot on South Boulder Road to the intimate 7th Generation Farm in nearby Louisville, about a 25-minute drive. You’ll find rows of pre-picked pumpkins stacked among vintage farm trucks, or you can stroll out into the field to pick your own. Find your way through the corn or hay bale maze, climb the hay “mountain,” paint a pumpkin, take a tractor hayride and visit with the farm animals. Admission is free.
Hours: Every day in October. Friday, noon-4pm; Saturday, 10am-4pm.
Located east of Boulder in Lafayette (about 25 minutes away), charming Cottonwood Farms welcomes visitors to borrow from their fleet of little red wagons and load it up with u-pick pumpkins from their fields. Greet Rocco the donkey, Bentley the miniature horse and a menagerie of other farm animals. There’s also a hand-cut, four-acre corn maze, vintage farm equipment, and hayrides every Saturday and Sunday in October ($3 per person). Admission is free on weekdays, and $5 on Saturday and Sunday. Children 5 and under and seniors 65 and over are always free.
Hours: September 21 through October 31, 2019. Daily, 10 am-6 pm.
Rock Creek Farm is a working farm (about 30 minutes southeast of Boulder) offering a cornucopia of autumn fun. Venture into 100 acres of pumpkins waiting to be snipped from the vine; laugh as you explore miles of fun and challenging corn mazes in three separate patterns; rub elbows with goats, free-ranging chickens, pigs, and other farm animals; and take a hayride to complete your experience. Little ones enjoy the hay bale maze, a super-slide and more. General admission is free, with fees for some attractions.
Hours: Sept. 29-Oct. 31, 2019. Daily, 9 am-6:30 pm.
This Longmont farm (30 minutes north) caters to young families with a carnival-like celebration that pairs organic pumpkin picking with pony and train rides, pumpkin painting, a petting zoo, a hay maze, a cornstalk tunnel, inflatable attractions and more. Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch's booths selling cotton candy, caramel apples, hot dogs, corn dogs, and snow cones add to the festivities. General admission is free, and then you pay for the activities and foods you’d like to try.
Hours: Month of October. Sat-Sun, 9 am-6 pm.
