Corn everywhere. Nothing but ginormous corn. Tassels point at the sky like silky beacons too ill-disposed to point out egress. And that’s only the kiddie maze.

Though it isn’t spooky, those who enter the corny labyrinth best keep their wits about them.

It’s Gallaghers’ Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch in Clark.

After doing a six-acre maze last year, the family has expanded the maze to eight acres this fall, said Bridget Gallagher.

Bridget’s husband, Cecil, and their kids conceived the maze, she said.

The kiddie maze is approximately one acre.

Parents and their children better wear their thinking caps when entering.

“We tried to make it a little harder than last year,” Gallagher said.

On a recent September day, Gallagher led the way into a warren of corn stalks. One turn from the entrance and any sense of direction dissipated.

“Which way?” she asked. “It’s easy to get turned around.”

There will be at least 20 intersections and some dead ends, Gallagher said.

“This one is not the same as last year,” she said.

A headful of farming facts might be handy. Gallagher said signs will be posted at intersections asking agriculture-related questions such as, what was the heaviest pumpkin ever recorded? If the respondent answers correctly, it will lead them down the right trail, she said.

Maze runners plotting to up their odds by scrolling through their smartphones for solutions might be stymied; cellular telephone reception is spotty in the corn, Gallagher said.

Youngsters navigate the complex easier than adults, Gallagher said.

“My kids can get through in no time,” she said.

The average is 30 minutes to negotiate the maze. Kids and adults enjoy it.

Those suffering a corn husk-induced claustrophobia needn’t fret.

“We do have an emergency exit in back,” Gallagher said.

Other attractions include two mighty slippery hay bale slides.

“The kids loved that one and the parents did too,” Gallagher said.

Gallaghers give hay rides and provide games parents and kids can play together.

It costs $6 for kids and $8 for adults to take part in all the activities, Gallagher said. The only additional expense would be food/drinks and a pumpkin, if families so choose, Gallagher said.

After a day of exploring the maze, sliding and riding, picking a pumpkin might be the perfect way to round out a charming autumn day.

Pumpkins fetch $1 to $12, depending on its size, she said.

Pumpkins dot the patch like big orange orbs brightening the greenery. Some are big as beach balls.

Gallagher reckoned they had a couple thousand.

Some pumpkins sport mole-like beauty marks.

“The bumpy ones are called goosebumps,” Gallagher said.

There are white pumpkins and pumpkins rimed with black she calls “bat wings.”

Scaaary!

There also will be hamburgers, hot dogs, brats and pulled pork and brisket sandwiches available to purchase. Caramel apples with homemade cookies and cupcakes will be available as dinner chasers. Water, coffee and hot cider will provide a taste of the season. 

The Gallaghers, raising nine kids, know the significance of stretching a buck, so they made food and drink as affordable as possible, she said.

To get to the corn maze from Powell, take Wyo. Highway 294 North (Badger Basin road). At the intersection with Wyo. Highway 120, take a right. Proceed about 1 mile and look for County Road 1AF. Take a left. From there, the Gallaghers will have signs pointing the way.

The maze will be open from Sept. 24 to Oct. 30 on weekends — Saturdays from 11 a.m. to dark and Sundays from 2 p.m. to dark. Schools or groups can visit on weekdays, but Gallagher asks they call as far in advance as possible. Her number is 307-899-0452.

It’s wholesome family togetherness under fall skies.

“It will be fun for parents to play with their kids,” Gallagher said.

Courtesy photo