In its purest and simplest form, the corn maze at Cobb’s Haunt conjures the magic of Halloween in the heartland of America.
On the night of the Full Moon last Saturday night, I entered the corn maze at Cobb’s Haunt, also known as Sunny Acres Farm at 6516 Echo Trail in Eastern Jefferson County. It was a chilly late October evening and a strange mist had crept up from the nearby lake to fill the cornfield, making the twisted paths inside the twelve foot high stalks seem like a strange, alien world. Besides the rustling of the corn stalks and an occasional distant scream, I was entombed in a world of silence. The only light was the pale, luminous light of the moon, and in the darkness and silence of this living Harvest labyrinth, I felt the icy grip of fear.
Cobb’s Haunt isn’t a high tech thrill machine. You won’t find any expensive animatronic monsters or fancy haunt industry props here. None of that expensive modern equipment would last long out there in the cornfield under the weather conditions of late October. Instead, you’ll find more of an old world Halloween experience that’s deeply connected to the Harvest season that gave birth to most of the traditions of Halloween we celebrate today. The atmosphere you’ll experience in the cornfield at night is something that money can’t buy.
It took our group nearly an hour to find our way out of Cobb’s Haunt. The ground was slightly muddy in spots, and that may have slowed our pace a bit, but it’s not likely you’ll be able to finish the maze in under 30 minutes. Unlike most haunt “mazes,” the way forward is not a straight march and there are many wrong turns and dead ends. Occasionally, you’ll come to an open area with eight to ten possible paths to choose from. If time spent in a haunted attraction is something you value, you’ll certainly find one of the longest haunt experiences in town at Cobb’s Haunt.
Due to the enormous size of the maze, Cobb’s Haunt could probably stand to add a few more creepy characters to fill in some of stretches without jump scares, but the existing cast does a great job when it counts. You might encounter the Creeper from “Jeepers Creepers” along the way, as well as scarecrows, swamp monsters and even a clown or two. The ghostly girl carrying a creepy baby has one of the shrillest screams I’ve ever heard, and I’m pretty sure it would shatter glass as easily as it rattles eardrums. You have been warned: DON’T touch the baby!
There is no touching or grabbing allowed at Cobb’s Haunt, and the whole vibe is very family friendly. This would be a good Halloween experience for families with kids who like spooky fun, but with one word of warning. If you get five minutes into the maze and want out, it might not be as easy as finding the “emergency exit.” Getting lost is possible, and you should be aware that you might be 10 minutes from the nearest exit at any point. For some more adventurous Halloween fans, that’s part of the fun!
Cobb’s Haunt will be open next weekend, Friday and Saturday, October 25th and 26th, from 9PM until 2AM. Admission is $15. Get out into the Harvest night and experience some old world Halloween magic!
