Fall in the Upstate means cooler mornings, changing leaves, mountain drives, and, of course, pumpkin patches and corn mazes. If you live around Pickens, Pumpkintown, Easley, Clemson, or the Highway 11 corridor, you do not have to drive far to find a farm where you can pick a pumpkin, wander through a corn maze, take a hayride, or spend an entire afternoon enjoying fall activities.
The nice thing about living near Pickens is that a trip to the pumpkin patch does not have to be just about pumpkins. Depending on which direction you travel, you can combine a farm visit with a drive along the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, a visit to Table Rock State Park, or an apple-picking trip into the North Carolina mountains.
Not every pumpkin patch offers the same experience, either. Some are true U-pick farms where you can walk into the field and choose a pumpkin growing on the vine. Others have become full fall attractions with corn mazes, animals, food, nighttime events, playgrounds, and enough activities to keep a family busy for most of the day.
If you are planning several autumn adventures, bookmark our Ultimate Upstate South Carolina Fall Bucket List too. It brings together many of our favorite fall drives, festivals, hikes, orchards, and seasonal activities around the Upstate.
Denver Downs Farm – Anderson
1515 Denver Road, Anderson, SC 29625
Denver Downs is much more than a place to pick out a pumpkin. It has grown into one of the largest fall attractions within a reasonable drive of Pickens and Clemson, making it a good choice when you want the pumpkin patch to fill an entire afternoon or evening.
The annual Fall Festival includes a pumpkin patch, large corn maze, farm animals, flower fields, cow train, live entertainment, food, and dozens of activities spread throughout the property. There is enough going on that families can easily spend several hours here rather than simply stopping long enough to choose a pumpkin.
Denver Downs gets even more interesting after dark. Pumpkin Nights are offered during the fall season, and Saturday nights in October include fireworks. That gives families with older kids and teenagers something a little different from the traditional daytime pumpkin-patch experience.
If your main goal is simply to buy a pumpkin, Denver Downs may offer more than you need. If you want corn mazes, activities, food, and entertainment along with pumpkins, this is one of the region’s larger fall destinations.
Little Cane Creek Farm & Corn Maze – West Union
2480 North Highway 11, West Union, SC 29696
Little Cane Creek Farm is especially interesting for PumpkintownSC readers because it sits directly along Highway 11. Instead of driving to a pumpkin patch and immediately turning around to go home, this is one of the easiest farms to fit into a longer day exploring the foothills.
The farm offers a corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayrides, children’s activities, picnic areas, concessions, and other seasonal attractions. The corn maze changes each year, giving returning families something new to explore.
Its location may be its biggest advantage. Follow our complete guide to South Carolina’s Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, and the pumpkin patch can become just one stop on a much longer fall road trip through northern Pickens and Oconee counties.
This is especially appealing in late October, when fall color begins moving into the foothills. Instead of making the farm the entire purpose of the drive, you can enjoy the changing leaves, stop at the farm, and continue toward Walhalla and the mountains.
Hunter Farms – Easley
2441 Jameson Road, Easley, SC 29640
Hunter Farms has one major advantage for families around Pickens County: it is close.
The family farm is known for seasonal crops and has offered pumpkins and other fall activities over the years. Because this is a working farm rather than a massive fall attraction, availability and operating dates can vary by season, crop conditions, and weather.
For someone in Pickens, Pumpkintown, or Easley who wants a local farm experience without driving an hour or more, Hunter Farms is worth checking before heading farther away.
It is also easy to combine with other activities around Pickens County. That makes Hunter Farms particularly useful for families with younger children who may not need an eight-hour fall adventure to have a good time.
Rooted Family Farm – Anderson
6730 Abbeville Highway, Anderson, SC 29624
Rooted Family Farm offers something many people picture when they hear the words “pumpkin patch”: walking through an actual field and choosing a pumpkin where it grew.
The farm grows multiple pumpkin varieties, giving visitors an opportunity to find more than the standard orange carving pumpkin. Different colors, shapes, and sizes make wandering through the field part of the experience rather than simply choosing a pumpkin from a display.
That makes Rooted particularly appealing for younger children who have never actually seen pumpkins growing on vines. It is also a good choice for anyone who wants the agricultural side of pumpkin picking rather than a large amusement-style fall festival.
If the pumpkin itself is the main reason for your trip, Rooted deserves a look.
Strawberry Hill U.S.A. – Chesnee
3097 Highway 11 West, Chesnee, SC 29323
Strawberry Hill is farther from Pickens, but it offers several things families typically want from a fall farm: pumpkins, a substantial corn maze, hayrides, farm animals, food, and enough activities to justify the drive.
Visitors can choose from pre-picked pumpkins or head into the field for a U-pick experience. The annual Cooley’s Corn Maze adds another major activity, making Strawberry Hill a good choice for families that want both pumpkin picking and a maze rather than choosing between the two.
Strawberry Hill also offers nighttime maze events during the fall. These are particularly useful for families with older children who want to visit after dark without necessarily going to a frightening haunted attraction.
Because Strawberry Hill is another Highway 11 destination, you can also incorporate portions of our Highway 11 guide into the trip.
Stewart Farms – Enoree
6600 Highway 92, Enoree, SC 29335
Stewart Farms is one of the farther drives from Pickens, but it stands out for combining a true U-pick pumpkin experience with a corn maze and nighttime fall activities.
Visitors can walk into the pumpkin field, choose their own pumpkin, explore the SC MAiZE, see farm animals, take a wagon ride, and visit the farm store. For families who want to show children where pumpkins actually grow, this offers more of a farm experience than choosing from pumpkins that have already been harvested.
October also brings the Big Boo Family-Friendly Haunted Maize on select evenings. This gives Stewart Farms a second personality after dark and is especially interesting for families with older children.
If you want both a pumpkin field and a substantial corn maze, Stewart Farms offers a great combination.
LushAcres Farm – Clinton
1875 West Maple Street Extension, Clinton, SC 29325
LushAcres is more of a destination fall festival than a quick pumpkin stop. The farm combines a corn maze with wagon rides, farm animals, children’s activities, pumpkins, food, and other seasonal attractions.
For Pickens-area families, the longer drive probably makes the most sense if you plan to spend several hours at the farm. Closer places to buy a pumpkin exist, but LushAcres offers another option if the activities and corn maze matter as much as the pumpkins themselves.
It is also useful for families who have already visited Denver Downs or some of the farms closer to home and want to try somewhere different this fall.
Far Out Farms – Landrum
720 Highway 101, Landrum, SC 29356
Far Out Farms offers a different type of fall experience because of its location near Landrum and the Blue Ridge foothills. The farm offers U-pick pumpkins, a corn maze, hayrides, seasonal activities, and plenty of mountain scenery.
For someone coming from Pickens, the drive itself can become part of the experience. October is one of the best times to explore the northern edge of the Upstate, especially once fall color begins appearing across the foothills.
Consider this when you want the pumpkin patch to feel like a fall road trip rather than a trip across town.
Make It a Mountain Fall Day: Pumpkins and Apples Near Hendersonville
If you are willing to drive a little farther from Pickens, the Hendersonville area opens up an entirely different kind of fall trip. This is North Carolina apple country, but several of the orchards also offer pumpkins, corn mazes, farm activities, cider doughnuts, and mountain views.
We have spent time exploring these orchards ourselves, and you can compare even more of them in our Best Apple Picking Near Table Rock State Park: 12 Beautiful Orchards Within an Hour.
For a family coming from Pickens, combining pumpkins and apples can make the longer drive much more worthwhile.
Grandad’s Apples ’N Such – Hendersonville
2951 Chimney Rock Road, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Grandad’s Apples ’N Such is primarily known as an apple orchard, but that description really undersells it during the fall. By late September and October, pumpkins become part of the experience, and visitors can walk into the pumpkin field and choose their own.
Grandad’s also has a corn maze, apple picking, a country store, a bakery, an apple cannon, a cow train, and other seasonal activities. It works particularly well when different family members want different things from the trip. Someone can come for apple picking, someone else for pumpkins, and the kids may be more interested in the corn maze and activities.
We visited Grandad’s ourselves, which gave us a much better look at how the farm works than simply reading an attraction listing online. You can see what we found, learn more about the history of the farm, and get a better idea of what to expect in our complete guide to Grandad’s Apples ’N Such in Hendersonville.
The setting is another reason Grandad’s belongs in this guide. The pumpkin fields sit against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, so this feels very different from visiting a pumpkin patch farther south in the Upstate.
If you are coming from Pickens, I would treat Grandad’s as a full fall day rather than simply a place to grab a pumpkin. Pick apples, walk through the pumpkin field, tackle the corn maze, browse the market, and leave enough room for something from the bakery before heading home.
Jeter Mountain Farm – Hendersonville
1126 Jeter Mountain Road, Hendersonville, NC 28739
Jeter Mountain Farm stretches the definition of “near Pickens,” but it deserves consideration if you are already thinking about heading into the North Carolina mountains.
The farm is best known for U-pick apples, peaches, grapes, and other fruit, but pumpkins become part of the offerings in fall. Wagon transportation carries visitors through portions of the property, while the market, cider, doughnuts, and mountain setting can easily turn the visit into a several-hour outing.
Jeter Mountain makes the most sense for someone who wants the complete mountain-farm experience rather than a dedicated pumpkin attraction. Apples may be the main event, with pumpkins becoming another part of the day.
If you’re deciding among the Hendersonville-area orchards, our apple-picking guide near Table Rock can help you compare options before making the drive.
Sky Top Orchard – Zirconia
1193 Pinnacle Mountain Road, Zirconia, NC 28790
Sky Top Orchard is another place I would describe as a fall destination rather than a traditional pumpkin patch. The main attraction is apple picking, but the combination of apples, farm animals, hayrides, cider doughnuts, mountain views, and seasonal activities makes it one of the area’s most popular fall outings.
We have a separate complete guide to visiting Sky Top Orchard that goes into much more detail, so there is no reason to duplicate all of that information here.
For this guide, Sky Top is worth knowing about if you’re deciding whether you want a dedicated pumpkin patch or simply a great fall farm experience. If apples, cider doughnuts, and mountain views sound better than spending hours in a corn maze, Sky Top may be the better fit.
Which Pumpkin Patch Should You Visit?
The answer really depends on what kind of fall experience you want.
Denver Downs is a strong choice when you want a large fall festival with enough activities to occupy most of the day. Rooted Family Farm and Stewart Farms are worth considering if walking into a real pumpkin field matters more than rides and entertainment. Strawberry Hill combines pumpkin picking with a substantial corn maze, while Little Cane Creek works especially well if you want to add the pumpkin patch to a scenic drive along Highway 11.
Far Out Farms gives you another foothills option, while Grandad’s, Jeter Mountain, and Sky Top can turn pumpkin hunting into a mountain day trip filled with apples, cider doughnuts, and Blue Ridge scenery.
If you are still looking for more ideas, our 2026 Upstate South Carolina Fall Bucket List can help you build an entire day around whichever farm you choose.
Turn the Pumpkin Patch Into a Full Fall Day
One of the biggest advantages of starting around Pickens or Pumpkintown is that the pumpkin patch does not have to be your only destination.
Little Cane Creek can easily become one stop on a drive along the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway. If you are staying closer to Pumpkintown, you can pair your fall outing with Table Rock State Park and spend part of the day exploring the mountains.
If your trip falls around one of the biggest local weekends of the season, check our Pumpkintown Fall Festival 2026 visitor’s guide before heading out. You can also read Fall for Pumpkintown: Come for the Festival, Stay for the Mountains for ideas that go beyond the festival itself.
Heading north opens up another possibility. Grandad’s, Jeter Mountain, and Sky Top can be combined with other Hendersonville-area stops, while our apple-picking guide near Table Rock can help you choose an orchard that fits the rest of your plans.
The pumpkin patch may be what gets you out of the house, but it doesn’t have to be the only place you visit.
A Few Tips Before You Go
Pumpkin patches are working farms, and conditions can change quickly. A few days of rain can turn a corn maze into mud and make grassy parking areas difficult. Old shoes or boots are usually a much better choice than anything you want to keep clean.
Pumpkin selection also changes throughout October. Earlier visits generally mean more choices, particularly if you are looking for unusual colors, large carving pumpkins, or specialty varieties. By the final weekend before Halloween, some farms may have a much smaller selection.
It is also worth checking what admission actually includes. Larger attractions may bundle dozens of activities into the admission price while charging separately for pumpkins, food, or premium activities. Smaller farms may have little or no general admission because you are primarily paying for what you pick.
Finally, check the farm’s current website or social media before leaving home. Weather, crop conditions, special events, and private functions can all affect hours during the fall season.
Fall Is Better When the Drive Is Part of It
October around Pickens and Pumpkintown feels different. You can wander through a corn maze in the morning, drive Highway 11 in the afternoon, stop at Table Rock, and arrive home with pumpkins rolling around in the back of the car.
Or you can head north into the mountains, pick apples at Grandad’s or Sky Top, find a pumpkin, eat a cider doughnut, and watch the Blue Ridge begin to change color.
That is part of what makes fall in this corner of the Carolinas so good. The pumpkin might be the reason you leave home, but it rarely has to be the only thing you find along the way.
For more ideas throughout the season, keep our Ultimate Upstate South Carolina Fall Bucket List handy. It can help turn one pumpkin-patch trip into several weekends of exploring the Upstate and the mountains.
