There’s nothing quite like fall in the Pacific Northwest. The cooling temperatures, the changing of the leaves, all the fall colors, and food. Fall in the PNW is incomparable to anywhere else.
October, one of the quintessential fall months, the month when the weather really starts to take its turn, the leaves change color and fall, and people get ready for Halloween. In Portland, this means people begin going to pumpkin patches, and people in Portland take their pumpkin patches seriously.
In the Portland Metro area, there is an abundance of pumpkin patches to choose from, some very small, some large farms with stores. Sauvie Island, located about 10 miles northwest of downtown Portland, has a plethora of farms. It is drivable from Portland, and as you cross the bridge onto Sauvie Island, you forget there is a major city so close. Sauvie Island being a prominent area for farming means once the seasons change, many of these farms begin growing pumpkins, and turn into pumpkin patches.
This year, we took a trip to The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island. Just a 15-minute drive northwest of Portland, it’s hard to miss the pumpkin patch with its large sign, and large crowds. From Portland, you take the Highway 30 west towards Scappoose, cross the Sauvie Island bridge, circle to the left, and after two miles The Pumpkin Patch will be on the left side of the road.
The Pumpkin Patch has been celebrating family fun and farm-fresh food for the past 52 years. They were established in 1967, and have since been the Original Pumpkin Patch, and a destination for many in the area each fall. October marks the start of Halloween festivities. An animal barn, Giant Hay Maze, Giant Hay Pyramid, and daily rides to the pumpkin fields are just part of the fun along with caramel apples, apple cider, elephant ears, and fresh produce.
The Orignal Corn Maize at The Pumpkin Patch is one of the most popular attractions on the Island. Every year The Maize has a different design each year, and with two sections, it can be a long adventure, and it is easy to get lost! Be warned that if it has been raining, The Maize will be extremely muddy, so wear your dirty boots, and don’t dress up! The Maize is $8, and don’t forget to grab a map after you pay, you’ll need it.
If you are looking for not just a place to get your pumpkin, but a destination for all things fall and Halloween, head to The Pumpkin Patch. There’s nothing more Portland than driving to Sauvie Island, taking a hayride, getting lost in The Maize, and getting a little muddy while doing it.
Happy Halloween!
Open every day in October.
Pumpkin Hayrides (Free): 10 am-5:45 pm
The Maize: 10:00 am-6:00 pm and Fri./Sat. nights until 10 pm
The Big Red Animal Barn: 9:00 am-6:00 pm
Giant Hay Pyramid: 9:00 am-6:00 pm
Specialty Food Booths: (caramel apples, elephant ears, kettle corn, pulled pork sandwiches) 10:00 am-6:00 pm Sat./Sun.