Autumn adventurers who feel they’re up to the challenge of a corn maze honored by USA Today for 10 years running should use their directional skills to get to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in nearby Ronks, Pa.

The Signature Attraction

The 2022 edition of the destination’s signature attraction is 2.5 miles of paths crafted in a five-acre field of corn.

It’s no wonder the farm’s owner-operators, Jack and Donna Coleman, have earned their reputation for large-scale puzzling.

Their current conundrum in corn is the 27th time they’ve invited guests to maneuver through their maize maze. It is officially the longest-running attraction of its kind in the U.S.

The Colemans theme their creation annually; the 2022 edition is a tribute to the U.S. National Parks. When viewed from above, the pathways form a massive bison.

And as if the effort to exit the maze isn’t challenging enough, the nighttime version is a true test of navigational skill. Participants are armed with only a flashlight to accompany the blue autumn moon by which to find the exit. This option is open every Fri. and Sat. through Nov. 5.

More Than a Maze

The corn maze is just one of 60 Cherry Crest Adventure Farm attractions onsite.

Visitors can:

• Enjoy kid-centric activities:
  • A climbing wall
  • Pedal cars
  • Small-scale wagon rides
  • A hay chute (small slide)
  • A straw-bale racer (giant slide)
  • Trampoline jump
  • Tennis-ball slingshot
  • Apple air-cannon
• Gain an up-close look at farm life by visiting the chicken hatchery, live animals, and a milking simulator
• Engage with entertainment that ranges from onsite concerts to an interactive kid-centric show starring some truly hammy actors, a cast of piglets
• Visit Sproutsville, a miniature village of shops to spark kids’ imaginations
• Pick a pumpkin — or harvest take-home popcorn, sunflowers, and zinnias (through Nov. 5)
• Take their young costume-wearers (12 and under) trick-or-treating, an Oct. 29 event that concludes with fireworks

Pumpkin Madness

The seasonal fun at Cherry Crest culminates in a tradition that really brings home the scientific classification of a pumpkin as a winter squash. The Nov. 5 Pumpkin Madness Festival — a signature event — invites attendees to bring their defunct Jack o’Lanterns and dispose of them in a melee of smashing, throwing, bowling, dropping, and carving.

After dark, this event also becomes especially illuminating, as a giant glow-in-the-dark pumpkin is dropped to pulpy glory. With the now-gross gourd properly disposed of, fireworks celebrate the finale of this spooky season in Lancaster.

Refueling

If all the fresh air and agritainment sparks an appetite, Cherry Crest has that covered, too.

The onsite Barn & Grill has enhanced its food service. Its menu has from-scratch smoked pulled pork sandwiches, nachos, grilled black angus burgers on brioche buns, and (of course) fresh-picked sweet corn roasted in its own husks.

The separate barn, with traditional seating, is just one of nine different food venues onsite, offering lunch, dinner, and snacks.

A History of Engagement

The Coleman family that started this all moved to Ronks from New Jersey in 1987 as dairy farmers. In 1996, they reinvented the site into its present standout in the now-popular concept of farm-based tourism.

“It gives us great joy to share our somewhat ‘corny’ vision of life on the farm,” said Donna. “Our mission is all about family fun, farm education, and creating memories that last a lifetime.”

Jack explained further: “Everything we do is family oriented.

“And while we are serious and committed to our goals of conservation and education, as a family team we search for innovative, creative ways to make the learning experience engaging and lighthearted. Wholesome, simple fun is an essential component to our success.”

Details and Staying Over

More on Cherry Crest Adventure Farm is online.

And if a full day of fresh-air play and maze solving proves a bit too exhausting, Discover Lancaster has numerous hotels and B&Bs in which visitors can hit the hay.