Erie's 25-Year-Old Corn Maze Marks Anniversary With New Horror Lore

The most terrifying thing in Colorado this week isn’t a mountain lion or a black bear. It’s a stalk of corn.

Or rather, it’s a mile-long labyrinth of them.

In Erie, just west of Denver, Anderson Farms has been growing fear since 2001. Their attraction, Terror in the Corn, is now celebrating its 25th anniversary. To hear them tell it, the maze has evolved from a simple jump-scare venue into a fully realized horror universe complete with a comic book, a video game, and a lore centered on wicked twins and an abandoned coal mining town. For locals in the 303 area code, this is less of a trip and more of a rite of passage, a way to prove you can handle the dark before the real winter sets in.

But the scare doesn’t stop in Erie.

If you’re willing to drive a bit further east, Thornton offers Haunted Field of Screams. Technically, it’s not a corn maze at all. It’s a haunted house-style walk-through situated next to a maze on Riverdale Road. That road, an 11-mile stretch connecting Thornton and Brighton, is frequently cited as one of the most haunted roads in the country. So, you’re getting your scares in layers: the house, the maze, and the history of the street itself.

Up north, in La Salle just south of Greeley, Fritzler Farm Park’s Scream Acres maze is open throughout October.

Now, not everyone wants to scream. The question is whether you can handle the fright, or if you’d prefer something gentler.

If the latter, look no further than Maize in the City, the family-friendly daytime sibling to Haunted Field of Screams. In Denver, the Denver Botanic Garden’s Chatfield Farms maze is carved to celebrate the state’s 150th birthday. And in Broomfield, Rock Creek Farm offers three different maze lengths, so you can choose your own level of commitment.

One practical tip for the brave souls heading into the dark mazes: if you become too terrified to continue, tap an actor and ask to be escorted out. But consider yourself warned — there are no refunds.

This weekend also brings a Halloween parade on South Broadway in Denver, a pumpkin hike at Mueller State Park in Divide, and a pet costume contest at the Golden Mill.

Whether you’re chasing ghosts or just looking for a good photo op, the cornfields are calling. As the folks at Anderson Farms might say, the only thing scarier than the maze is missing it.