Dates: Now through mid-November
Address: 13912 County Road 19, Platteville
Tickets: $18–$28 at the gate, which includes four bags to fill per person; Pumpkins included in the four-bag limit
Pumpkin price: Included in ticket price
Hours: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
Why we love it: You’ll leave with all kinds of fresh fall produce.
At Miller Farms, visitors are treated to a hayride through 180 acres of fields, where you can pick organic, pesticide-free pumpkins, as well as potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, corn, squash, peppers, and more. The price of admission includes up to four bags of vegetables per person—including the big-ticket gourds—so choose wisely. If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, visit the customer-favorite “Wagon Sale,” where you can fill a red Radio Flyer with all the pre-picked produce you can fit for only $50. The festival also features classic attractions like corn mazes, an antique tractor alley, a hay bale pyramid, and lawn games. Don’t miss out on the “Croc-pit”—a play pit filled with thousands of cut-up Crocs given to the farm by the Broomfield-based company when it nearly went out of business in 2018. All this affordable (and unconventional) fall fun earned Miller Farms the number-three spot on our list. Don’t forget to fill out the farm’s waiver while you’re making the roughly 40-minute drive to this pumpkin party.
Dates: Saturdays and Sundays from Oct. 5–27
Address: 26745 Weld County Road 17, Johnstown
Tickets: $15 for ages 3 and up; $12 for military & seniors (with ID); free for kids 2 and under
Pumpkin price: Mini $2, small $8, medium $12, blue/specialty pumpkins $14, giant $20
Hours: Saturdays 11 a.m.–5 p.m., Sundays 12 p.m.–5 p.m.
Why we love it: Budget-friendly pumpkin prices
Score specialty gourds at, ahem, killer prices at Hankins Farms, a family-owned operation since 1910 located less than an hour outside of Denver. This haunt’s wallet-friendly pumpkin prices earned it the number-four spot on our list, but there’s so much more to do than peruse the patch. Fight off zombies with corn cannons, race pedal cars, and try your hand at foam ball archery. The festivities also include two themed corn mazes: Farm Scene Investigation and Monster Mystery.
Dates: Sept. 28–Oct. 31
Address: 2001 S Chambers Road, Aurora
Tickets: Free admission with additional pricing for activities
Pumpkin price: By size
Hours: Monday–Saturday 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Why we love it: The short commute and free admission
Save money on gas and put it toward gourds at this close-to-home patch in Aurora. Nick’s Garden Center and Farm Market throws an annual Fall Fest for all the Denverites who hate driving, earning it the number-five spot on our list. Here, you’ll find a variety of pumpkins to choose from, plus activities for every kind of kiddo. There are no tickets required to enter, and it’s free to enjoy the straw maze, Professor Pumpkin story time, kid’s play area, and tons of games. The fest also offers pedal karts, an inflatable obstacle course, mini golf, rubber ducky races, and train rides through a haunted tunnel for an additional charge. Pro tip: Stop by this daily fall festival on a weekday to avoid the crowds and get your garden shopping done at the same time with help from their friendly and knowledgeable staff.
Dates: Now–Oct. 31
Address: 10600 Isabelle Road, Lafayette
Tickets: $8; free for seniors and kids under 6
Pumpkin price: By size
Hours: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Why we love it: All the fall family photo-ops
Cottonwood Farms is a small-but-spirited operation that offers a 10-acre pumpkin patch with straw bale and corn mazes, wagon rides, vintage farm equipment displays, and yard games. But what earns this patch the number-six spot on our roundup are all the whimsical photo-ops. Make it a tradition to snap an annual pic of your kiddos beside the “How Tall This Fall?” ruler board for an adorable holiday card. Then, borrow a wagon from the farm, and wander the petite patch in search of the perfect canvas for your next jack-o’-lantern.