What started as a humble and quaint pumpkin patch has sprouted into a full-fledged "agritainment" destination for many thousands of Pierce County families. It serves patrons of all ages who seek the thrill of navigating their way through the 5+ acre corn maze, searching for and finding that perfect pumpkin in the 8+ acre pumpkin patch or braving the now infamous Haunted Woods.
For those wanting the more laid back, "farmish" type visit, there's plenty of good food options, scenic hayrides around the pumpkin patch and an animal barn full of goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens and pigs; and for those with a bit more energy who are seeking the more adrenalin-driven activities, there's live pig and duck races, the kids' courtyard (an overgrown playground of sorts with about a dozen kids' activities), a huge jumping pillow, monster truck rides, zip lines, mechanical bull riding, large tube slides, pumpkin and corn shooters and our newest (and highly entertaining) activity - bubble soccer.
"You should be able to come here and spend at least half a day enjoying any number of activities," says Dale Maris, who dairied on the 40-acre location for 15+ years before selling his herd and turning it into what it is today. "There's an activity for every age group and it's as affordable and wholesome a form of family entertainment as you'll find anywhere."
Maris joined forces with his sister (Joanne Templeman), brother-in-law (Steve Templeman) and mother, Kay, to form a partnership - Maris Maze, LLC - in 2000. Though it all started five years earlier at a different property with a simple 2-acre pumpkin patch, Maris Farms' first corn maze (a rendering of Mount Rainier) was all of 4 acres and sat in what is now one of three parking lots at its current location. The Haunted Woods venue was added in 2003 and has grown into legendary scary status. There are more than 35 sets and 50+ actor-types inhabiting a 35-minute trail through a 2-acre cornfield and 2-acre forested area.
The corn "stalk" market has since yielded back an incredible return on investment as the partnership has watched this humble little business grow as strong and as tall as the stalks that attract patrons each fall.
