Fall Around the Lake

Tammy Scheiter and Paige Rothove, Lake Keys

Why I put this together

Every September my phone starts lighting up with the same question: “Where should we take the kids for pumpkins this year?” After more than 20 years helping families make a home at Lake of the Ozarks, and as someone whose family has called this lake home for generations, I’ve learned that the answer depends on how far you want to drive and what your crew loves most. So I gathered it all in one place.

The Lake is a year-round community, and fall is one of the best seasons to live here. I hope this guide helps you enjoy it.

Tammy Scheiter, REALTOR®, CLHMS, Guild, REMAX Hall of Fame. Lake Keys, powered by REMAX Lake of the Ozarks, serving Osage Beach, Lake Ozark, Camdenton, Sunrise Beach, Linn Creek, Greenview, Rocky Mount, Eldon and Gravois Mills. 573-302-2360

Brumley

The closest patch to the lake. No wifi out there, so bring cash.

Roach

A 180-acre family farm west of Camdenton with a 150-foot slide, petting zoo, hayrides, corn cannon, and a corn crib the little ones love.

Iberia

A lit-up house synced to music. Tune your car radio to 89.1 FM. Trick-or-treaters welcome Oct 31.

Edwards

New at the lake for 2026. Check their site for hours.

Jefferson City

A 10-acre corn maze, a 40-acre pumpkin patch, Clydesdales, hayrides, and a giant slide. Pumpkins are extra.

Jefferson City

Richland

Right on Route 66 off I-44. Oct 3 is their Charlie Brown movie night by the pond with a bonfire: $5, or $2 if you visited the patch that day.

Cole Camp

Pick your pumpkin right off the vine. Every dollar goes to the Cole Camp Food Pantry.

Cole Camp

Hayrides, a petting zoo, live music, a zinnia patch, and a haunted maze from 7 to 10pm through Nov 2. Discounts for seniors, military, and first responders.

Wheatland

Pony rides for $5, a free mini petting zoo, playground, and picnic spots.

Ashland

Admission covers 20-plus attractions: jumping pillow, corn maze, hayrides, pedal karts, and farm animals. Buy tickets ahead on their website.

Wooldridge

Pick straight from the patch, with wagons, gloves, and pruners on hand. Kiddie corn maze and flower picking. Two miles of gravel road, so wear closed-toe shoes and drive slow.

Sedalia

Corn pit, barrel rides, corn maze, hayrides, and hamster wheels. Pumpkins run $2 to $12.

Columbia

A fourth-generation working farm with a zip line, giant corn pit, goat playground, and u-pick sunflowers at $2 a stem.

Columbia

One of the big Missouri corn mazes, plus a fun barn, jumping pillow, and campfires you can reserve.

Boonville

Admission includes a hayride and feed for the animals.

Brighton

Apple picking and pumpkins in one stop, with a corn maze, hayride, and a super mega slide.

Knob Noster

Hayride, petting zoo, train rides, and a pumpkin cannon. Near Whiteman AFB but open to everyone, no military ID needed.

Springfield

A public farm park run by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board.

Mexico

Pumpkins and apples, a corn maze, jump pillow, petting zoo, and apple cider donuts.

What is the closest pumpkin patch to Lake of the Ozarks?

The Cave Pumpkin Patch in Brumley and MECCA Farms in Roach are both about 30 minutes from the middle of the lake. Both open on weekends starting October 3. Bring cash to The Cave, since they have no wifi for cards.

Are there free pumpkin patches near Lake of the Ozarks?

Yes. Pop Pop’s Pumpkin Patch in Cole Camp charges no admission, and proceeds support the Cole Camp Food Pantry. Eschenbrenner Farms in Wooldridge is free, but only on September 26 and 27. The Crazy 8 Farms Halloween display in Iberia is free to drive by, with music on 89.1 FM.

Where is the closest corn maze to Osage Beach and Camdenton?

MECCA Farms in Roach, just west of Camdenton, has a maize walk and is about 30 minutes away. For a full-size maze, Fischer Farms in Jefferson City has a 10-acre corn maze about 45 minutes from the lake.

Which pumpkin patches are best for toddlers?

MECCA Farms has a corn crib that works like a sandbox full of corn, plus a petting zoo. Sterkel K Family Farm in Wheatland has $5 pony rides and a free mini petting zoo. Both are about an hour or less from the lake.

What is Lake of the Ozarks like in the fall?

Quieter, and many locals will tell you it’s their favorite season. The summer boat traffic thins out, the bluffs turn color, and the coves go calm. Most of the restaurants and shops that stay open year-round shift to a slower, friendlier pace. It’s when the lake feels most like a neighborhood.

Is fall a good time to buy a home at Lake of the Ozarks?

It can be. In my experience, fall brings fewer buyers competing for the same homes, and some sellers would rather close before winter than carry a lake home through the off-season. That creates opportunity. You also get to see a property as it really lives year-round, not just on a busy July weekend. I track the market daily and am happy to walk you through what’s available right now.

Thinking about making the lake home year-round? Fall is a beautiful time to look.

Tammy Scheiter · Lake Keys, powered by REMAX Lake of the Ozarks