A 25-acre pumpkin patch with a long activity list (corn maze, apples, hayrides, animal interactions, games) and daily year-round hours, but no 2026 specific dates or pricing published yet.
Center Grove Orchard is a multi-purpose fall destination, not just a pumpkin patch. The 25-acre operation includes a corn maze, hayrides that move you between the pumpkin fields and apple-picking areas, farm animals, and games like corn pools, apple slingshots, rubber duck races and pedal carts. The scale and variety appeal to multigenerational groups—grandparents, parents and kids can find something without someone being bored.
The central concept is that you don’t just pick a pumpkin and leave. The farm bundles pumpkin selection with other fall activities on the same property, so a morning visit can extend into early afternoon with hayrides, animal interactions and apple picking filling the time.
Twenty-five acres of pumpkins is substantial enough that families are not competing for the same 10 specimens on a Saturday afternoon. There is enough variety that you can find pumpkins for multiple purposes (large one for carving, small decorative ones, unusual shapes) without stripping the patch. This size also means multiple activities can happen simultaneously without bottlenecking everyone into the same gate.
Hayrides transport you to apple-picking areas, which is practical logistics for a large property and adds an activity layer. Rather than hiking 20 minutes to the apples, you ride. This works especially well for families with younger kids or older adults who find walking the full 25 acres tiring.
The 2026 season opening and closing dates were not published. Central Iowa pumpkin season typically runs late September through October, but confirm the exact dates with Center Grove. The admission price was also not published; call 515-383-4354 or check centergroveorchard.com before the drive to confirm rates and what’s included in admission.
It’s also worth asking whether hayrides and apple picking are included in admission or cost separately. This shapes the day’s total cost and helps you decide whether the hayride investment makes sense for your group.
October weather here is variable—a Saturday can be 70 degrees at noon and 48 degrees by sunset. Layers and a fleece are practical, not overcautious. Field parking will be muddy after recent rain; close shoes are not optional.
Center Grove shows daily hours: Monday-Saturday 9am-7pm, Sunday 11am-6pm, which is full open calendar when operating for fall. October is peak pumpkin season in central Iowa. The farm had not published specific 2026 season start/end dates when we checked, so call ahead to confirm opening. A weekday morning (Tuesday-Thursday 9am) will be notably quieter than weekend afternoons.
Three to four hours comfortably. With 25 acres, a corn maze, hayrides to apple-picking areas, farm animals and multiple games, there's enough to fill most of a day without rushing.
Weekday mornings are significantly quieter than Saturday/Sunday afternoons. A 25-acre operation with multiple activities absorbs crowds reasonably well, but October weekends can still feel busy. Early October or late September may have lighter crowds than peak mid-October.
Not specified. Field parking is standard at central Iowa farms; after rain, expect muddy conditions.
The presence of hayrides suggests some mobility support, but specific accessibility details were not published. Call 515-383-4354 to clarify accommodations for your party.
You need confirmed 2026 dates, pricing or accessibility details in advance. The farm hadn't published 2026 season dates or admission costs when we searched. Also skip if everyone in your party is under 4 or over 65; the appeal is broad, but the activities lean toward active play and exploration.
Pricing was not published in our research. The farm operates a 25-acre pumpkin patch with corn maze, hayrides, farm animals and games, but we could not find the admission cost. Call 515-383-4354 or check centergroveorchard.com to ask for rates.
The farm had not published specific 2026 season dates when we checked. The general hours show Mon-Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm, but those are year-round hours. Confirm the fall pumpkin-season opening date by calling 515-383-4354.
The hayrides transport visitors to apple-picking areas, but we could not confirm whether apple picking is included in admission or costs separately. Ask when you call about rates.
2026 dates had not been published when we last checked. In past seasons it has run: Mon-Sat 9am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm. Check with the farm before driving out.
Admission pricing was not published when we last checked.
32835 610th Ave, Cambridge, IA 50046, in Story County. It is one of 5 patches we track in Des Moines Region.
We track 5 patches in Des Moines Region. The farm has not published a gate price, so it cannot be compared on cost — call before you budget.
What sets it apart locally: it has farm animals, which most Des Moines Region patches on our list do not.
One caveat worth repeating: this farm had not published its 2026 dates when we last checked, while 2 of the 5 patches we track in Des Moines Region had. Treat any date you see elsewhere as last year's until the farm confirms it.
There is 1 other patch we track in Story County. All Des Moines Region patches →
centergroveorchard.com
Checked August 2026.