Bend’s Best Pumpkin Patches & Haunted Houses

Bend is known for having four distinct seasons, including a vibrant fall. Bend and Central Oregon is a great place to watch leaves turn red, yellow and orange, and to enjoy all your favorite fall festivities. As Halloween nears, get your front-porch in shape for trick-or-treaters by making a visit to a local pumpkin patch; just remember, they offer a lot more than just the pumpkins! To get in the spirit, checkout some of these haunted happenings, from spooky mazes and ghost tours to a good ol’ fashioned haunted house. Everything you could want leading up to Halloween season and more can be found right here, in Central Oregon, giving you plenty of reasons to come visit Bend.

Smith Rock Pumpkin Patch

When the leaves start to change, Smith Rock and the city of Terrebonne become very popular for something other than their world-class rock climbing and alpaca farms. At Smith Rock Ranch, families, couples and groups of all ages will be welcomed to pet farm animals and explore a themed corn maze while basking under the view of Smith Rock. The family will love the u-pick pumpkin patch, where everyone can wander out and select their favorite gourd for carving. The corn maze is always themed, and this year’s theme is Spongebob Squarepants. Don’t forget about the pony rides, pumpkin cannons, face painting, the harvest market, horse drawn wagon rides and even a “Bark Park” for your dogs to run around. Finish off the day at the Old Western photo booth and commemorate such a great fall day at the Smith Rock Pumpkin Patch, which is open from Tuesday through Sunday, September 30 to October 29.

DD Ranch Pumpkin Patch

Also located near the base of Smith Rock, the DD Ranch Pumpkin Patch is a time honored tradition for countless Central Oregon families. This family-friendly patch really has something for everyone, and attracts all kinds of people from throughout the region. The pumpkin patch itself is a u-pick patch, allowing guests to forage for their own pumpkin of choice. On the weekdays, the pumpkin patch, corn maze, kids korral, petting zoo, pony rides and hayrides are all available. On Fridays and weekends, the ranch breaks out the food and drink vendors for hot meals and hotter apple cider. The weekends also bring out the shopping booths, where guests can peruse a harvest market that includes fresh farm goods like grass fed beef and lamb, heritage pork, local raw honey, eggs and more. The DD Ranch Pumpkin Patch will be open on Tuesdays through Sunday from September 30 to October 31. 

Haunted Houses in Bend, Oregon

To really get in the spirit of Halloween, one might be tempted to check out one of these spooktacular attractions. Bend has a number of paranormal stories from over the years, including the Deschutes Historical Museum, which is an old schoolhouse thought to be haunted by the ghost of a contractor who tragically died during the building’s construction in 1914. Located nearby in Downtown Bend, check out Bend Ghost Tours, a group-tour that leads guests through various historic buildings in the area, revealing historical haunts. For fans of a more in-your-face haunted experience, Scare Me Good hosts the Scaregrounds in Redmond every year in the weeks leading up to Halloween. These are themed haunts with actors who go the extra mile to get your adrenaline pumping. Technically there are no age restrictions, but it is highly recommended that any kids attending be at least 12 years old.
With all the pumpkins you can pick, plenty of tall corn to get lost in and thrilling scares to be had around the corner, Bend, Oregon allows you and your family to do fall the right way. Even aside from this list, Bend has so many unique things to do, everyone is sure to find something for them. Commit to having the perfect fall, and check out some vacation lodging in Bend now.