A hayride near Indianapolis can mean a trip to the pumpkin patch, an evening around a campfire or a run-in with Conner Prairie’s Headless Horseman. This guide starts with nighttime rides ranked by how spooky they are, followed by daytime farm hayrides, so you can choose the kind of fall outing your family enjoys.
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Nighttime and haunted hayrides, ranked by scare level
These evening outings are listed from least to most scary, including events that begin before dark. Our scare ratings are editorial guides based on the advertised experiences: 0/5 means a non-haunted daytime farm ride, 1/5 means a non-haunted evening ride, and 5/5 would mean an intense haunted attraction. A family event can still deliver a few good scares, and an earlier departure can make a difference.
Eagle Creek Park’s Regular Hayrides | Indianapolis
Scare rating: 1/5. Scenic and non-haunted.
Take a 40-minute evening wagon ride through Eagle Creek’s fields, forest and roadways. Families can reserve individual spots, with public registration listed at $10 per person, or reserve a whole wagon for up to 12 people for $120. Hot chocolate, cider and s’mores kits are sold at the beach concession stand.
Dates and tickets: Regular rides are listed for Oct. 2-3, 9-10 and 16-17, 2026. Register each rider age 1 and older and choose a departure time when booking. Online registration closes at 5 p.m. the Thursday before the ride.
Good to know: Park admission is additional: $6 per vehicle for Marion County residents or $8 for non-residents. Arrive at the beach concession stand, 7602 Eagle Beach Drive, at least 15 minutes early. Wagons have no formal seats, so bring a blanket to sit on. Browse Eagle Creek’s regular hayrides and reservations.
Harvest Hayrides Festival | Avon
Scare rating: 1/5. A non-haunted community festival.
Blue Heron Park’s Harvest Hayrides Festival offers free wagon rides around the lake, plus an extended ride into another area of the park. Bounce houses, a pumpkin drop with a splash zone, horseback trail rides, vendors and food trucks round out the evening.
Dates and tickets: Oct. 10, 2026, from 4-8 p.m. at Blue Heron Park, 6570 E. U.S. Highway 36, Avon. Attendance and wagon rides are free; food, pumpkins and other purchases cost extra. See Avon’s Harvest Hayrides Festival details.
Conner Prairie’s Headless Horseman | Fishers
Scare rating: 2/5 for earlier rides; 3/5 after 8 p.m. A family festival with a spooky hayride.
Conner Prairie combines the Headless Horseman’s wooded hayride with magic, marionette shows, carnival games and fall treats. The ride gets scarier later: Conner Prairie warns of dark woods and scary surprises after 8 p.m. There are no gory effects, and characters do not touch guests or wagons. Earlier rides are recommended for kids who scare easily, and sensory-friendly boxes are available at the ticket gates.
Dates and tickets: Thursdays-Sundays, Oct. 1-25, 2026, from 5-10 p.m. Nonmember festival admission is $26, plus $10 for the hayride. Members receive free festival admission with a reservation and pay $10 for the hayride. Parking is free.
Good to know: Book festival admission and a hayride time, and plan to arrive at least 45 minutes before that time. The corn maze and Haunted Trail are listed as to be determined for 2026, so check before promising either one to the kids. Plan a Headless Horseman visit.
Eagle Creek Park’s Haunted Hayrides | Indianapolis
Scare rating: 3/5. A haunted ride for families who want Halloween scares.
Eagle Creek switches to haunted hayrides for its last scheduled hayride weekend. It’s a 40-minute ride through the park’s fields, forest and roadways, with a scarier experience than the regular scenic rides.
Dates and tickets: Oct. 23-24, 2026. Reserve individual seats on a shared public wagon; whole-wagon bookings are not offered for these nights. Check your selected departure for current pricing and registration requirements. Rides leave from the beach concession stand at 7602 Eagle Beach Drive, and park admission is additional. Choose an Eagle Creek haunted hayride.
Fright Nights | Zionsville
Scare rating: 4/5 for the full outing. Recommended for ages 8 and older.
Fright Nights begins with a haunted hayride from Mulberry Fields Park to Maplelawn Farmstead. The evening includes a campfire and spooky encounters, while the Fright Barn brings jump scares, strobe effects, theatrical fog, live actors and scenes of gore. Our 4/5 rating includes the Fright Barn as well as the hayride.
Dates and tickets: Oct. 23-24, 2026, from 7-10 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 the night of the event, with timed entry. Children younger than 12 must stay with an adult throughout the event. Parking and entry are at Mulberry Fields Park, 9645 Whitestown Road, Zionsville. Read Fright Nights details and age guidance.
Daytime farm hayrides near Indianapolis
These scenic farm and orchard rides pair with pumpkin picking, corn mazes and play areas. At most farms, the hayride is included in admission and the pumpkins you pick are extra. All of these daytime rides have a scare rating of 0/5: scenic and non-haunted.
Tuttle Orchards | Greenfield
Scare rating: 0/5. Scenic and non-haunted.
Tuttle’s narrated wagon ride gives kids a chance to learn about the farm while riding through it. It’s one of the 30-plus activities covered by the FarmYard pass, so you can also work your way through the corn maze and spend time in the play areas before or after your ride.
Plan your visit: The FarmYard season runs through Oct. 31, 2026, Monday-Saturday. Hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. through September and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. in October. Passes are $10 for ages 2 and older; ages 1 and younger are free. Wagon rides begin at 10:30 a.m. and end 30 minutes before the farm closes. Tuttle’s is always closed Sundays. See Tuttle Orchards’ fall activities and hours.
Beasley’s Orchard | Danville
Scare rating: 0/5. Scenic and non-haunted.
At Beasley’s, the hayride has a destination: the pumpkin patch. Ride out to choose a pumpkin, then make time for the corn maze, apple cannons or Barnyard Bonanza play area. The hayride is included in admission, while the pumpkins you pick cost extra.
Plan your visit: Fall activities run Sept. 19-Nov. 1, 2026. Admission is $12 on weekdays and $14-$16 on festival weekends; ages 2 and younger are free. Weekday attractions open at 1 p.m., which makes this an easy afternoon outing. Check Beasley’s festival dates and attraction hours.
Hogan Farms | Brownsburg
Scare rating: 0/5. Scenic and non-haunted.
If the hayride is your main reason for going, Hogan Farms sells it on its own. The ride takes about 15-20 minutes around the property. You can add the corn maze or Kid Zone separately, spend time choosing pumpkins or just do the ride and head home. Leashed dogs are welcome.
Plan your visit: October hayrides run Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and cost $5 per person. The corn maze is $6 and the Kid Zone is $3; children 36 inches tall and shorter are free for all three. The farm opens at 10 a.m. Friday-Sunday and 2 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, closing at 6 p.m. Find Hogan Farms’ hayride details.
Dull’s Tree Farm | Thorntown
Scare rating: 0/5. Scenic and non-haunted.
The hayride to the pumpkin patch is one part of a much bigger outing at Dull’s. Admission includes more than 45 activities, so leave room in the schedule for exploring after the ride. Each general admission ticket also includes one activity pass, good for an extra such as air cannons, face painting or pumpkin decorating.
Plan your visit: Dull’s fall season runs on select dates Sept. 26-Nov. 1, 2026. General admission is $17.95 online, plus taxes and fees, or $21.95 at the gate, plus tax. Ages 2 and younger are free. Check the operating calendar when choosing a weekday. See Dull’s admission details and calendar.
Russell Farms | Noblesville
Scare rating: 0/5. Scenic and non-haunted.
Hop on a hay wagon to pick a pumpkin at Russell Farms, then tackle a scavenger-hunt corn maze or visit the farm animals. The hayrides are among the unlimited activities covered by admission. Pumpkins and the pumpkin-painting craft are separate purchases. There’s no admission charge if you only want to buy pre-picked pumpkins or shop the Country Store.
Plan your visit: Russell Farms opens weekends Sept. 26-Oct. 31, 2026, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Additional fall-break dates are Oct. 14-16 and 21-23, from 1-5 p.m. Admission is $17; ages 2 and younger are free. Pets are not permitted. View Russell Farms’ admission and schedule.
Related Article: Pumpkin Patches Near Indianapolis
Stuckey Farm | Sheridan
Scare rating: 0/5. Scenic and non-haunted.
A hayride into the orchard is part of the fall festival experience at Stuckey Farm. Pair the ride with apple picking, then stop for cider or apple cider donuts. The festival’s focus shifts through the season, from apples to cider to pumpkins.
Plan your visit: Harvest Festival activities take place on fall weekends. Admission is $16.25 online or $18.95 at the gate; ages 2 and younger are free. Food and produce purchases are additional. Check Stuckey Farm’s current festival information.
Piney Acres Farm | Fortville
Scare rating: 0/5. Scenic and non-haunted.
Piney Acres’ daytime hayride is a scenic trip around the farm. Make time for barnyard animals, play areas and the one-acre kids’ corn maze. The big corn maze is closed because of flooding in 2026, but the kids’ maze is open. Pumpkins come from an off-site field and are brought to the farm for visitors to choose from; admission isn’t required if you’re only buying pumpkins.
Plan your visit: Fall on the Farm runs Sept. 19-Oct. 25, 2026. Kids’ all-access admission is $20 and adults’ all-access admission is $18. Adults also have a $10 general admission option, with the train and large slide available as an upgrade. Tots are $5 and infants are free.
On select Monday-Thursday dates, admission is half price and a shorter list of attractions operates, including the hayride. Check the dated calendar for your visit. See Piney Acres’ fall calendar and pricing.
Waterman’s Family Farm | Indianapolis
Scare rating: 0/5. Scenic and non-haunted.
Waterman’s combines its hay wagon ride with a pumpkin-eating dinosaur, farm animals, games and carnival rides. The hayride is included in festival admission, making it easy to work a ride into a visit with several stops around the farm.
Plan your visit: The 2026 festival opens Sept. 26-27, followed by select dates through Nov. 1 at 7010 E. Raymond St. October weekday dates begin Oct. 7 and run Wednesday-Friday, plus Oct. 12-13 for fall break. Tickets range from $12.95-$17.95 by date; ages 2 and younger are free. See Waterman’s festival dates and tickets.
Related Article: The Ultimate Fall Fun in Indianapolis Bucket List
