A 5-acre u-pick pumpkin patch with weekend-only festival dates and an $11 activity pass model; clear pricing makes this easy to budget, but the weekend-only schedule is a real constraint.
Activity pass $11 plus tax; free farm entry
Rough cost for a family of four: about $44.00 in admission alone at the posted starting rate, before pumpkins, food, parking or any add-on listed above. Most families end up well north of that once they are through the gate.
Wills Family Orchard runs a straightforward model: 5-acre u-pick pumpkin patch on eight specific weekends, an $11 activity pass that covers the corn maze and hay wagon rides, and a rolling-hills setting about 20 minutes west of Des Moines. The simplicity is the appeal—transparent pricing, clear dates, no hidden exclusions.
The Saturday 9am opening is the longest available window and the quietest slot to pick. You arrive at 9am, pick your pumpkin from the 5-acre field, move through the corn maze or take a hay wagon ride, and leave by mid-morning if you want. Families with younger kids often do exactly this and are done by lunchtime. Families with older kids or grandparents tagging along might stay into early afternoon.
Eight operating dates across September and October means the farm is open 16 days per year. That concentration creates a clear crowd story: these days are busy. The $11 activity pass puts the cost at roughly $50 for a family of four, which is a reasonable all-in price for a pumpkin plus the corn maze and wagon rides. No surprises, no à la carte upsells for the core experience.
Saturday runs 9am-6pm; Sunday runs noon-6pm. The 9am Saturday start is the longest available morning, and it’s the practical time to get to the pumpkin patch before others have stripped the best specimens. A Sunday at noon puts you in a 6-hour window with no morning option, which reshapes the day (no early start, harder to fit other plans around). If you’re flexible, Saturday 9am is the better choice.
Five acres of u-pick pumpkins is not a vast field—it’s manageable. On a quiet day with good weather, an hour to 90 minutes of picking, maze time and wagons fits comfortably. On a busy October Saturday with 300 people on the property, the same activities can feel rushed. The rolling-hills location near Adel is scenic, which matters if you want photos or a fall-foliage backdrop.
Early September dates (first two weekends) should give you pleasant picking weather but may not hit peak color or fully ripe pumpkins—October pumpkins are heavier and more mature. Late October dates offer richer fall atmosphere but shorter days and real risk of frost or rain that softens the field. Layers and a jacket are always practical.
Wills operates Saturdays 9am-6pm and Sundays noon-6pm on eight specific weekends: September 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, October 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, and 25-26. Saturday morning at 9am is the longest usable window and gives you the first pick of the pumpkin patch. Early September weekends (first two dates) will have peak color in the rolling-hills setting, though pumpkins may still be ripening. Late October dates offer richer fall atmosphere but shorter days and risk of early frost or weather.
Two to two and a half hours. The 5-acre u-pick patch is not enormous; you're picking and moving, not wandering. The corn maze and Fields of Fun area can extend the visit if energy and interest align.
Eight weekend dates across September and October concentrate demand. Saturday 9am will be quietest; Sunday afternoon (2-4pm) will be busiest. Weather—especially mid-October rain that softens the field—can move people inside for gift shopping, so you might find the patch quieter during drizzle.
Not specified. Field parking is standard at orchards; assume unpaved ground that becomes soft and muddy after rain, typical of west-side Des Moines farms.
Not published. Clarify mobility needs when planning your visit, especially if the party includes anyone with knee or ankle concerns.
You need a weekday visit. Wills operates Saturdays and Sundays only on scheduled dates; there are no Monday-Friday options. Also skip if your family is very large (say, three generations); u-picking with 12 people in one 5-acre patch gets crowded and slow.
An activity pass is $11 plus tax ($13-15 depending on local tax). That flat fee covers the corn maze, hay wagon rides and Fields of Fun area. U-pick pumpkins are included; you pay once at entry and don't get charged per pumpkin.
Wills operates Saturday and Sunday only on eight specific weekends: September 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, October 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, and 25-26. No weekday dates are available.
The activity pass is required for entry to the farm. It includes access to pumpkin picking, the corn maze and hay wagon rides as part of the same ticket. You're not charged à la carte for individual attractions.
September 13 – October 26, 2026. Sep 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, Oct 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26. Hours: Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday Noon-6pm.
Admission starts at $11 per person. Activity pass $11 plus tax; free farm entry
33130 Panther Creek Rd, Adel, IA 50003, in Dallas County. It is one of 5 patches we track in Des Moines Region.
We track 5 patches in Des Moines Region. At $11 a head this one sits right on the regional median of $11.
Its season runs about 44 days against a regional average of 39, so it is broadly in line with the rest of the region.
What sets it apart locally: it has u-pick fields, which most Des Moines Region patches on our list do not.
There is 1 other patch we track in Dallas County. All Des Moines Region patches →
Map pin is set to the town centre. Navigate to the street address above, not the pin.
willsfamilyorchard.com
Checked August 2026.