Our Review of the Pumpkin Patch at Swans Trail Farms
Last Updated on April 18, 2024 by Kelly
We love visiting pumpkin patches during the fall, and one of our favorite places to go is the pumpkin patch at Swans Trail Farms. We’ve been going there for the last several years, and each time it’s been a blast. They have tons of attractions to keep us busy all day long. In this post, we’ll share why Swans Trail Farms is one of the best pumpkin patches in the greater Seattle area. We’ll also share details about the 20 activities for the fall festival that you can do at the farm during your next visit!
Be sure to read our complete summary of over a dozen pumpkin patches near Seattle!
About the Pumpkin Patch at Swans Trail Farms
Swans Trail Farms is a fully operating farm located in Snohomish, Washington. In addition to growing fresh produce, the farm is a popular venue for rustic weddings. During the fall, people visit from all around the state to attend their Fall Festival. They are especially famous for their Washington State Corn Maze! The farm has been owned by Ben and Carol Krause since 1984.
The pumpkin patch and food concession stands are open to the public. To access the activities, however, you will need to purchase a wristband. Advanced reservations are encouraged but not required.
No dogs are permitted on the property, with the exception of service animals.
There are no indoor public restrooms. There are port-a-potties located near the entrance.
In addition to selling pumpkins, Swans Trail Farms also has a country store filled with local products. We especially liked the canned goods that they sold. This year we bought a jar of their Apple Butter. It was the perfect fall treat to spread on toast. We highly recommend it! The country store also had a good array of Halloween and Thanksgiving decor.
Tips for Visiting
- Be prepared for mud: Even if it’s a sunny day, the fields may still be wet from recent rain. Don’t wear nice shoes in an attempt to get perfect fall photos if the fields are wet. (Or if you do, at least accept the fact that they will get really muddy.) We recommend wearing boots. Make sure you’re prepared to have your car get dirty because the parking lot is not paved. We’ve found it helpful to bring extra shoes so that we can put all our muddy shoes in a bag in the trunk.
- Lay down some cardboard: Once you find the perfect pumpkin, you’ll need to put it in your car to bring it home. We’ve found it helpful to flatten some cardboard in the trunk of our car. The pumpkin might be dirty or muddy, and the cardboard will protect your car and make for an easy clean up once you’re home.
- Prepare for rain: October is a rainy month in Snohomish. Regardless of the forecast, make sure you’re prepared for rain. Bring a raincoat or a poncho just in case.
- Bring water and snacks: If you’re out in the fields or in a corn maze, you might not want to walk back to the farm for water or a snack. Bring some in your bag just in case. (Especially if you have young children!)
- Bring hand sanitizer: You’ll want to use hand sanitizer after visiting the animal barns or touching any equipment.
- Keep your phone charged: Make sure you bring a portable phone charger. You’ll probably want to take lots of photos throughout the day, so you don’t want to be low on battery.
- Bring a blanket: On a sunny day, it can be helpful to have a blanket to sit down on when you eat. Most of the local farms have picnic tables for seating, but on a busy day, it can be hard to find a place to sit down. If you pack a blanket, you can set up a picnic in the grassy area.
- Consider visiting on a weekday: The weekends can be absolutely packed. If you want to visit when there are less crowds, then you might enjoy a weekday visit more. Just be advised that there are not as many food options on a weekday. We visited on a Sunday one year, and it was pretty chaotic!
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We’ve visited Swans Trail Farms numerous times over the years. One year, we went to the pumpkin patch and it rained the whole time. We were surprised how many people were there regardless of the rain. We saw several children wearing these rain suits, and we immediately ordered one for our own daughter. With the right gear, you can have fun no matter the weather!
Most years, we plan to visit Swans Trail Farms on a sunny day. We like having a picnic in the grass and getting to enjoy all the activities.
20 Things to Do
1. Washington State Corn Maze
Swans Trail Farms has a giant 12-acre corn maze in the shape of Washington State! There’s over 4.5 miles of trails within the maze itself. As you explore the maze, there are signs for over 250 state roads and 400 towns and landmarks. It’s a great way to learn about Washington State while also having fun!
2. Kids Corn Maze
There’s also a smaller corn maze for younger children. They can still enjoy the fun, but their feet won’t get as tired!
3. Petting Farm
Right past the entrance to the activities section is the petting barn. This was one of our daughter’s favorite parts of our visit! She got to pet several goats. Across from the petting farm, there was also a donkey, pig, baby pigs, and chickens in enclosed pens.
4. Tractor Pull
Line up with your family or friends and see if you can pull a giant tractor by rope. Don’t forget to stretch first!
5. Live Duck Races
Line up along a basin of water to see ducks race down the line. We didn’t see this during our visit, but it may be because we visited on a week day.
6. Four Little Pigs Show
The farm has a grandstands area to watch the four little pigs show. We didn’t see the show during our Friday afternoon visit. (It looks like they may race around the mini arena.)
7. Wagon Rides
Hop on a wagon to view the farm! We recommend doing this activity to give your legs a rest for a bit.
8. Hay Pyramid
This was one of my favorite parts about the farm. It’s a perfect spot for photos! We saw families climbing to the top for some pretty epic photos. We were busy chasing around our toddler, so we never made it over there. I don’t have the best photo of it, but it was pretty cool!
9. Barnyard Sports Zone
This activity was much like what you would see at a carnival. They had footballs and baseballs set up to toss through the holes in the board.
10. Dump Truck Roller Slide
This was a fun slide! We only went once because it was wet and muddy, but on a sunny day, I can imagine a lot of kids would be all over it.
11. Corn Box
This was a covered activity that our daughter loved. The pit is completely filled with dried corn kernels. It’s a fun sensory activity! We just took off her shoes and let her have fun.
12. Triple Indoor Slides
These slides were easily our daughter’s favorite! I think she would have gone down them all day long. We took turns taking her to the top and sliding down on potato sacks. This activity was also covered, so it was perfect for a rainy day.
13. Rubber Duck Races
After watching the live duck races, why not try to race your own rubber ducks? This is a cute activity for little kids.
14. Jumping Pillows
Swans Trail Farms had two large jumping pillows. We really liked that there was one designated for younger children and one for older children. No adults were allowed on the jumping pillows. In order to jump on them, you just have to make sure you remove your kids’ shoes. They also recommend that you empty all pockets before jumping.
15. Pedal Trikes
For little kids, they had tricycles to ride around.
16. Hay Maze
The barn was filled with bales of hay to create walls for the maze. At the end, there is a slide down. We thought this was a good place to take photos. Because the maze was completely inside the barn, it was also a nice activity for a rainy day.
17. Cow Train
Little kids will enjoy being pulled along on the “cow” train.
18. Hay Hoist
Test your strength by trying to hoist up bales of hay of varying weights.
19. Ziplines
The farm has mini ziplines to slide across the field.
20. Pick a Pumpkin
Finally, don’t forget to pick a pumpkin on your way out! Swans Trail Farms has a 50-acre u-pick pumpkin patch. You don’t need to have a wristband to go to the pumpkin patch. The patch is open to the public.
Food Options
The full food menu is available from 10am to 5pm on the weekends. During the weekdays, there is a limited menu. (Menu from the 2022 Tractor Cafe Menu pictured below.)
We ordered a brisket sandwich, hatch chili mac & cheese, and cheese pizza. The mac & cheese was our favorite!
Make sure you buy the donuts! They were easily one of the best donuts we have ever had in our lives. They were nice and crispy on the outside, and soft and doughy on the inside. They had a fresh apple flavor, and they were dusted with sugar and cinnamon. This year, we bought extra to take home with us.
We were glad to see that Swans Trail Farms had a large covered picnic area.
We learned that they make their food on site fresh every day, and that many of their items feature produce grown on the farm.
Summary
We’ve visited Swans Trail Farms twice for their Fall Festival. We’ve visited on a rainy day, as well as a hot sunny day. Regardless of the weather, this has been one of our favorite farms in Snohomish. We hope you enjoyed this post on things to do at Swans Trail Farms during the fall festival!
Disclaimer: We always strive for content accuracy. Since the time of publishing, travel-related information regarding pricing, schedules, and hours may have changed. Please look up such information directly from each vendor or institution for the most current information.
