Which Pumpkin Patch Near Branson Is Right for Your Family?
Quick Summary
Four farms sell pumpkins this fall, three with Branson addresses and one in Exeter, Missouri. McKenna Family Farm lets you shop its pumpkin barn without paying admission, Shepherd’s PumpkinFest charges extra for picking and painting, Sycamore Creek opens on weekends only, and Exeter Corn Maze now needs admission to buy a pumpkin. Silver Dollar City shows more than 20,000 pumpkins but does not list a patch, and three farms stay open through November 1.
Last Updated: October 2026
In This Article
- How Do the Pumpkin Patches Near Branson Compare in 2026?
- Can You Buy a Pumpkin Near Branson Without Paying Admission?
- Which Pumpkin Patch Works Best for Toddlers and Young Children?
- Can You Bring a Dog, Food or a Stroller to a Pumpkin Patch Near Branson?
- Which Pumpkin Patches Near Branson Stay Open After Halloween?
- Where Should Families Stay for a Pumpkin Patch Weekend in Branson?
- Frequently Asked Questions
A pumpkin patch is one of the easiest family outings around Branson in October, but the farms here run very different days, rules and extras. This guide compares them side by side, with Thousand Hills Resort Hotel as a place to stay between visits.
Dates, hours and rules come from each farm’s own website, read in mid-October 2026. Prices are left out because they change, and farms can close for weather, so check with each one before you go.
How Do the Pumpkin Patches Near Branson Compare in 2026?
Each patch near Branson suits a different kind of trip. McKenna Family Farm is the easy stop for buying pumpkins, Shepherd’s PumpkinFest pairs a patch with rides and a night walk, Sycamore Creek opens weekend afternoons with a six-acre maze, and Exeter Corn Maze mixes daytime farm fun with haunts after dark.
| Farm | 2026 season | Days and hours | Pumpkins |
|---|---|---|---|
| McKenna Family Farm, 3265 State Highway F, Branson | September 26 to November 1 | Wednesday and Thursday 10am to 6pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 7pm, Sunday 11am to 7pm, closed Monday and Tuesday | Barn and pumpkin area outside the paid area |
| Shepherd’s PumpkinFest, Shepherd of the Hills, West 76 Country Boulevard | September 12 to October 31 | Check the operator’s daily calendar | U-pick pumpkins and pumpkin painting at an extra charge |
| Sycamore Creek Fall Roundup, 2657 Sunset Inn Road, Branson | October 3 to November 1 | Saturday and Sunday, 2:30pm to 8:30pm | Pumpkins for purchase |
| Exeter Corn Maze, Exeter, Missouri | September 12 to November 1 | Thursday 4:30pm to 9:30pm, Friday 3:30pm to 10:30pm, Saturday 10:30am to 10:30pm, Sunday 10:30am to 8:30pm | General admission now needed to buy pumpkins |
Silver Dollar City is not on the list on purpose. Its Harvest Festival fills the park with more than 20,000 pumpkins in displays and photo spots, plus a Garden of Giants where some pumpkins weigh over 1,000 pounds, but the festival page says nothing about picking or buying one to take home.
Can You Buy a Pumpkin Near Branson Without Paying Admission?
Yes, at McKenna Family Farm. The farm says its barn and pumpkin area sit outside the admission area, so you can shop for pumpkins and produce without paying to enter. Exeter Corn Maze changed its rule for 2026, and now requires general admission to buy any pumpkins, apples or sunflowers.
- McKenna Family Farm: free to shop the barn and pumpkin area. Admission covers everything in the Activities Area, and everyone in the group pays at the entrance, though children 2 and under get in free.
- Shepherd’s PumpkinFest: guests can pick out and paint their own pumpkins, and the farm marks U-pick pumpkins, pumpkin painting and the Scarecrow Factory as extra charges.
- Sycamore Creek: lists pumpkins for purchase, and its admission covers all Fall Roundup activities.
- Exeter Corn Maze: the new patch is walkable this season, so no hayride is needed to reach it, and the pumpkin booth closes 15 minutes before the park.
Prices are left out here because they change, so check each farm’s own site before you go.
Which Pumpkin Patch Works Best for Toddlers and Young Children?
McKenna Family Farm and Shepherd’s PumpkinFest both list activities aimed at small children. McKenna lets children 2 and under in free and runs a hayride it describes as not scary, while Shepherd’s offers free general admission for ages 3 and under, a kid’s corn pit and barnyard animals.
McKenna’s Activities Area includes a jump pad for little jumpers, a bounce pillow, a corn box, a wood pallet maze, a big bale hay maze, slides, swings and rubber ducky races. Shepherd’s PumpkinFest adds a bounce house, Lil’ Pete’s Playland, a kid’s obstacle course and photo spots at the pumpkin house and the pumpkin chair.
At dusk, Shepherd’s Pumpkins Aglow turns a half-mile, one-way trail into a walk past thousands of glowing pumpkins, and the operator says it has no jump scares. Shepherd’s notes that some PumpkinFest activities, including pumpkin painting and scarecrow building, close during the night walk, so plan those before dusk.
Exeter Corn Maze works for young children in daylight, with a petting zoo, pig races, a carousel, corn pits and a family corn maze. Its haunts begin at 6pm each night and every guest needs a signed waiver. For more ideas that suit younger children, see the Branson shows that work for families.
Can You Bring a Dog, Food or a Stroller to a Pumpkin Patch Near Branson?
The rules differ from farm to farm. Exeter Corn Maze welcomes leashed pets, coolers and outside food, but no alcohol. McKenna Family Farm does not allow animals in its admission area, and Sycamore Creek does not allow pets or outside food beyond one sealed water each and snacks for small children.
- McKenna Family Farm: no animals in the admission area and no alcohol on the farm. Families can reserve a campfire site and bring their own food to cook, in three-hour weekend slots from 10am, 1pm or 4pm, and the farm provides a wagon to carry food to the site.
- Sycamore Creek: no pets, no smoking or vaping, and food from its concessions and the Sycamore Creek Pizza Co food truck.
- Exeter Corn Maze: leashed pets, coolers and outside food are allowed, wagons and strollers are encouraged, and there is a changing table and a mothers room.
Families planning several outings on one trip can fold a patch visit into a wider Branson family vacation plan, since packing a picnic for Exeter or a campfire meal at McKenna keeps one meal simple.
Which Pumpkin Patches Near Branson Stay Open After Halloween?
Three of them do. McKenna Family Farm, Sycamore Creek’s Fall Roundup and Exeter Corn Maze all run through Sunday, November 1, 2026, the day after Halloween. Shepherd’s PumpkinFest and Silver Dollar City’s Harvest Festival both finish on Saturday, October 31.
Weather can close a farm on the day, so check before you drive. McKenna posts closures on its homepage, Sycamore Creek posts them on its Facebook page and Instagram stories, and Exeter Corn Maze says it only closes for continuous very heavy rain. If rain does settle in, there are indoor things to do in Branson on a wet day to fall back on.
Daylight saving time also ends at 2am on Sunday, November 1, so clocks go back an hour, which makes a Sunday morning farm visit after a late Saturday a little easier.
Where Should Families Stay for a Pumpkin Patch Weekend in Branson?
Thousand Hills Resort Hotel works as a base for a pumpkin patch weekend, with two queen rooms, heated indoor and outdoor pools and a daily breakfast buffet, which fits a morning before McKenna opens at 10am from Wednesday to Saturday.
Thousand Hills Resort Hotel is at 120 South Wildwood Drive, so you can find the hotel on the map and plan each farm drive from there. Its heated indoor pool is open to all guests from 8:00am to 10:00pm, which suits children who still have energy after a farm afternoon. The daily breakfast buffet covers the morning before the farms open, and you can compare the room types before you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a pumpkin patch in Branson, Missouri?
Yes. McKenna Family Farm at 3265 State Highway F and Sycamore Creek’s Fall Roundup at 2657 Sunset Inn Road both list Branson addresses, and Shepherd’s PumpkinFest runs at Shepherd of the Hills on West 76 Country Boulevard.
Does Silver Dollar City have a pumpkin patch?
Its festival page does not list one. The Harvest Festival shows more than 20,000 pumpkins in displays and photo spots through October 31, 2026, and its festival page does not mention picking or buying pumpkins.
When does McKenna Family Farm close for the 2026 season?
McKenna Family Farm lists its 2026 season as September 26 to November 1, open Wednesday through Sunday and closed Monday and Tuesday.
Do you need a waiver for Exeter Corn Maze?
Yes. Exeter Corn Maze says a waiver is required to enter the park, and children under 18 need a parent or guardian signature.
Can you paint a pumpkin at Shepherd’s PumpkinFest?
Yes. Shepherd of the Hills says guests can pick out and paint their own pumpkins, with an additional charge for pumpkin painting.
Is Sycamore Creek Fall Roundup open on weekdays?
No. Sycamore Creek lists its Fall Roundup on Saturdays and Sundays from October 3 to November 1, 2026, from 2:30pm to 8:30pm.
To plan a pumpkin patch weekend, check availability and reserve your room or call (877) 815-0990 to book with Thousand Hills Resort Hotel before McKenna, Sycamore Creek and Exeter finish their season on Sunday, November 1.