Sip on wine while the kids pick out pumpkins at Balzano Family Vineyard and Pumpkin Patch.
Photograph courtesy of Balzano Family Vineyard and Pumpkin Patch.
Balzano Family Vineyard and Pumpkin Patch
Celebrate 10 years of family fun as you pick pumpkins and sip wine at the 150-acre property between Artesia and Carlsbad. “It’s about bringing family together,” says owner Toni Balzano. “We love seeing families spending quality time together and watching the kids grow each year.” Youngsters can make their way through the bamboo maze, wander the fairy garden, mine for gemstones, or catch a fish in Papa’s Pond. Bigger kids can pair up for the gerbil races in sections of oversize drainage pipe or shoot pumpkins with blasters and slingshots up to 500 feet away. Order up goodies like pulled-pork mac and cheese, caramel apples, and Miss Janie’s pies, as well as wine and beer.
Something special: Try your aim at archery or axe throwing, or put your pedal to the metal at the expanded pedal cart track.
Scare factor: 0/5 ghosts.
Now through October 31; Saturdays 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sundays noon–6 p.m.
Graves Farm and Garden gowns alfalfa, hay, chile, and other produce.
Photograph courtesy of NMTD.
Graves Farm and Garden
For some old-fashioned pumpkin pickin’, this fourth-generation family farm in Roswell operates more than 600 acres, where they grow alfalfa, hay, chile, and other produce for the community. Hop on a quick hayride to the pumpkin patch, where you can take your pick before entertaining the kids with tug of war, burlap races, and slides.
Something special: Take home some of the farm-fresh honeydew, cantaloupe, jalapeños, squash, and chile from the on-site store.
Scare factor: 0/5 ghosts.
October hours: Monday–Saturday 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Sundays 1–5 p.m.
Grab a few friends and head over to the Horror Hall in Tularosa for a spooky night.
Photograph courtesy of Horror Hall.
Horror Hall
Horror Hall in Tularosa has been scaring visitors for 20 years with a creep-style haunt that refrains from loud screaming or touching—so keep your eyes peeled and watch your back. Add a little psychedelic delight to your fright with a trek through the glowing mushroom patch, which includes 20-foot-tall fungi straight out of Alice in Wonderland.
Something special: The Harvest Fest Music Festival scares up a roster of head-banging punk and metal acts from noon to 10 p.m. on October 7.
Scare factor: 4/5 ghosts. 👻👻👻👻
October 1–31; Fridays and Saturdays 7–10 p.m., Halloween 6 p.m.–midnight.
Let the kids pick out their favorite pumpkin at La Union Maze.
Photograph courtesy of La Union Maze.
La Union Maze
Put on your favorite flannel and spend the day at the La Union Maze. Take a wagon ride or cow train into the pumpkin patch, wander the 13-acre corn maze, and relax at one of more than 100 shaded picnic tables. Kids can burn off that autumn energy playing barnyard baseball and other carnival games in the sports arena, bounce on rainbow-colored jumping pillows, participate in rubber-duck races, and cheer on their favorite oinker in the pig races. At night, the haunted pallet maze caters to the creep-loving crowd.
Something special: Don’t miss the fireworks display and pumpkin smash, marking the end of the season on November 5.
Scare factor: 2/5 ghosts. 👻👻
Now through November 5;Fridays 5–9 p.m., Saturdays 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m., and Sundays 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
The jumping pillows are one of the star attractions at McCall's Pumpkin Patch.
Photograph courtesy of McCall's Pumpkin Patch.
McCall’s Pumpkin Patch and Haunted Farm
McCall’s Pumpkin Patch in Moriarty offers a whopping 92 acres full of fall activities, including a corn maze, animal barn, giant sandboxes, wooden-train playground, and more. After 7 p.m., McCall’s transforms into McCall’s Haunted Farm, where the past doesn’t die easily. Fright your way through the barn and cornfield filled with ghosts, ghouls, and the mystery of what happened to the McCall family. Plus, arrive early or stay late to ride a mechanical bull, take out zombies on the paintball range, and play some “carnevil” games.
Something special: A new sound garden lets kids play with gongs and other noisy attractions.
Scare factor: 4/5 ghosts 👻👻👻👻
Now through October 29; Fridays noon–6 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Haunted Farm Saturdays 7 p.m.–midnight.
Enjoy face painting, flower fields, and the pumpkin patch at the Mesilla Valley Maze.
Photograph courtesy of Mesilla Valley Maze.
Mesilla Valley Maze
Now in its 25th season, Mesilla Valley Maze is the second longest–running corn maze in New Mexico. Frolic through 40 acres of family fun with gem mining, face painting, flower fields, and more. Bring a basket to fill with pumpkins or to picnic under the trees. Plus, unwrap more than 30 flavors of house-made fudge at Katie’s Country Store.
Something special: Don’t miss the special events. On October 7 and 8, the Fall Festival features races, hayrides, and a corn-eating contest. On October 28 and 29, the 14th annual Pumpkin Festival includes live music, the Tour de Maze (an adults-only tricycle race), and a pumpkin pie and goblin-egg-gourd hunt.
Scare factor: 0/5 ghosts.
Now through October 29; Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
All aboard the cow trains at St. Bernard Farms!
Photograph courtesy of St. Bernard Farms.
St. Bernard Farms
An eastern New Mexico favorite, the 20-acre Clovis farm spices up fall weekends with cow trains (a tractor pulling black-and-white-spotted kiddie cars), corn cannons, carousels, an 800-foot-long zip line, and a massive American flag–designed corn maze. The scares multiply at night with two haunted houses on the property that show off their demonic side. “It’s like a Halloween fiesta,” says co-owner Rocky Bernard. “Pumpkins are everywhere, and it has a great carnival feeling.”
Something special: Check out the “banana squadron,” where you can operate a yellow banana plane, burn some rubber at the Spin-Zone bumper cars, and venture into the 12-foot-vortex mini-maze that will make your head spin.
Scare factor: 3/5 ghosts. 👻👻👻
Now through November 5; Fridays 5–9 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Sundays 1–7 p.m.
