A compact Willamette Valley operation with split-personality appeal: daytime for families with young kids (super slide, tire pyramid), evening for older kids and teens who want the haunted maze.
The Melon Shack occupies a useful middle ground on the Willamette Valley fall calendar. It is neither a sprawling multi-hour destination nor a simple pumpkin stand, but rather a compact set of activities designed to fill 2 to 3 hours on a fall afternoon — or, on Thursday through Saturday, to operate an entirely separate haunted experience in the evening.
That dual identity shapes every planning decision. A family with elementary school kids will likely focus on the daytime experience: the corn maze, pumpkin patch, super slide and tire pyramid. Teenagers looking for a haunted attraction will aim for the evening maze runs, which operate independently of the daytime activities and close at 10pm — a more mature Halloween outing.
The tension arises only if you want both. The daytime attraction closes at 6pm, and the haunted maze does not open until 7:30pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There is a 90-minute gap, and no clear infrastructure for getting from one to the other within a single evening. If both experiences appeal to your group, plan two separate visits, or choose the one that best matches your visit date.
The super slide and tire pyramid are physical play structures geared toward kids with some confidence in climbing and sliding. The corn maze and pumpkin patch are more forgiving — a younger child can walk a maze with an adult, and pumpkin picking is toddler-friendly. The farm’s research notes describe it as a comprehensive experience for families seeking multiple activity options, but that multiplicity matters more for 4- to 10-year-olds than for a parent with a 2-year-old.
The haunted maze runs Thursday through Saturday from 7:30pm to 10pm. Thursday may see lower crowds (school week, cooler evening), while Friday and Saturday will draw teenagers and older kids in costume. The corn maze layout presumably carries through from daytime, but with full darkness and scare elements added. Bring a flashlight even if the farm provides paths with lighting — your footing matters.
Throughout October, the farm operates daily 10am to 6pm. The haunted maze, though, is Thursday through Saturday only. If you are planning an evening visit, your window closes on Sunday through Wednesday. That constraint matters for school schedules and weekend-only households.
October 1 to 31, daily 10am to 6pm. Haunted maze runs Thursday through Saturday 7:30pm to 10pm. If you want both the daytime activities and the haunted maze experience, aim for a Friday or Saturday when both are live the same day; otherwise, choose your event type and day accordingly.
Two to three hours daytime, or 1.5 to 2 hours for the haunted maze alone. The daytime walk-through will depend on maze size and lineup, but with a slide and tire pyramid plus maze, you can expect a steady afternoon.
October Saturdays will draw families, especially in mid-to-late October as Halloween approaches. Weekday daytime should be quieter, and the Thursday evening haunted maze (when school is in session) may be lighter than Friday and Saturday haunted nights.
Not specified. Typical for Willamette Valley farms in fall — assume field or lot parking, and soft ground conditions after rain.
Not published. Contact the farm directly at (541) 243-4152 or themelonshack.com.
You want to combine daytime pumpkin patch picking with an evening return for the haunted experience on the same day — the farm's regular hours end at 6pm, and the haunted maze starts at 7:30pm Thursday through Saturday only, so you would need to return on a different day if you wanted both.
The farm is open daily October 1 to 31, from 10am to 6pm, for daytime activities like the corn maze, pumpkin patch, super slide and tire pyramid.
The haunted corn maze operates Thursday through Saturday evenings from 7:30pm to 10pm throughout October.
No. Daytime activities close at 6pm, and the haunted maze does not start until 7:30pm. You would need to return on a different day if you wanted to experience both, or choose one for the day.
The super slide and tire pyramid are geared toward older children. The pumpkin patch and corn maze can accommodate younger kids depending on their comfort level in mazes.
October 1 – October 31, 2026. Daily. Hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (regular); 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM (haunted maze Thu-Sat).
Admission pricing was not published when we last checked.
NE Garden Ave (at NE Highway 20), Corvallis, OR 97330, in Benton County. It is one of 6 patches we track in Willamette Valley.
We track 6 patches in Willamette Valley. The farm has not published a gate price, so it cannot be compared on cost — call before you budget.
Its season runs about 31 days against a regional average of 33, so it is broadly in line with the rest of the region.
What sets it apart locally: it has rides and play structures, an after-dark attraction, which most Willamette Valley patches on our list do not.
There are 2 other patches we track in Benton County. All Willamette Valley patches →
Map pin is set to the town centre. Navigate to the street address above, not the pin.
themelonshack.com
Checked August 2026.