How Are Corn Mazes Made? (And Why Farmers Grow Them)

Turning a cornfield into a maze takes a combination of agricultural know-how and creative problem solving. Farmers plan the design, map out the paths and often use GPS technology to create a fun and challenging experience.

How do farmers make corn mazes, and why do they grow them? Here’s an inside look at Nebraska corn mazes and how they help people connect with agriculture.

What are Corn Mazes Made Of?

Field corn is the type of corn used for corn mazes. Also called dent corn, it’s the most widely grown type of corn in Nebraska. It’s often used to make commercial livestock feeds and ethanol.

Some farmers use sorghum or sudangrass for fall mazes, but corn is more common. Maze corn is often planted closer together so visitors can’t see through the walls of the maze.

How Are Corn Mazes Made?

Designing the Pattern

Corn maze designs are sketched or created digitally. A corn maze usually includes multiple dead ends and confusing loops.

Cutting the Paths

The corn maze design is mowed into the field while the plants are about knee-high. To make the cuts precise, farmers can use global positioning system (GPS) technology. First, they make a GPS file of their design. Then, they use the GPS coordinates as a guide to cut the paths.

Many farmers cut maze paths with riding lawnmowers or tractor-pulled mowers. Some also use equipment to drag a tiller, or plow, along the paths. A drone can be a good way to check progress by providing an aerial perspective.

Corn maze designers can also use the GPS coordinates when they plant. Instead of cutting the paths after the corn grows, they leave the paths unplanted from the start. Sometimes a few corn plants grow in the paths. These stray plants, called volunteer corn, are removed by hand.

Keeping It Growing

A corn maze needs sun, water and warm weather to grow. Nebraska has ideal growing conditions for field corn and is the nation’s third-largest corn-producing state.

Why do Farmers Grow Corn Mazes?

Family farms often rely on more than one source of revenue. Agrotourism from a corn mazes helps farmers diversify their operations while creating agriculture-centered fall activities Nebraska residents can enjoy.

Revenue from a corn maze can not only strengthen a farm’s long-term financial stability, but also help sustain it for future generations. Agritourism also provides farmers with an opportunity to connect with their communities and help visitors learn more about agriculture.

What Happens to Corn Maze Corn After the Season is Over?

Most corn mazes are harvested for grain after the agritourism season ends. If the corn was planted in a crosshatch pattern to create extra-dense walls, harvesting may require a different approach.

Modern combines are designed to harvest corn in evenly spaced rows, not a crosshatch pattern. While farmers can use regular combines to harvest crosshatch corn, they may need to make modifications and only cut the corn in one direction. Some farmers use antique farm equipment, finding smaller, older combines are better able to harvest corn planted unusually close together.

Harvested corn can be fed to livestock, delivered to a local buyer or used to make ethanol. Cattle also graze on the leftover cornstalks, or the stalks can be left in the field to add organic matter to the soil.

A corn maze may look different from a regular Nebraska cornfield, but it’s the same crop. After the maze closes, the field corn can be harvested and used in many ways that affect everyday life. Until then, it takes on a different role, giving families a chance to experience agriculture in person.

Explore Corn 101 to learn more about the many uses of corn.

Corn Maze Frequently Asked Questions

What Kind of Corn is Used in Corn Mazes?

Most corn mazes are made of field corn, also called dent corn. It’s used for livestock feed, ethanol and ingredients in food that people eat.

When Are Corn Mazes Planted?

Corn mazes in Nebraska are usually planted in summer, often later than regular cornfields. Planting later helps keep the corn standing through the fall as it matures, because dry stalks become fragile and more likely to fall over.

How Do Farmers Cut the Paths in a Corn Maze?

Farmers mow corn maze paths when the plants are about knee-high, using GPS systems to guide them. Some farmers plan the design before planting and leave the paths unplanted.

How Long Does It Take to Make a Corn Maze?

It takes about three to four months to make a corn maze, from planting to opening day. Farmers design and cut the maze paths in summer, then wait for the corn to grow to its full height.

Can You Eat the Corn from a Corn Maze?

Corn from a maze usually isn’t eaten fresh off the cob like sweet corn. Most corn mazes are made from field corn, which is starchier than sweet corn and is typically used for livestock feed, ethanol or food ingredients.

What Happens to the Corn After the Corn Maze Closes?

Most corn mazes are harvested after the season ends. The grain can be fed to livestock, delivered to an ethanol plant or sold to another buyer. The crop still has value after the maze closes, so it generally isn’t wasted.

Why Do Farmers Make Corn Mazes?

Farmers create corn mazes as a fun fall activity that generates additional income through agritourism. Nebraska families can enjoy time together outdoors while getting an up-close look at agriculture.

Are Corn Mazes Only Made from Corn?

Although most fall mazes are made from corn, farmers can also use tall crops such as sorghum or sudangrass. Corn is well suited for mazes because it grows tall and dense and can remain standing into the fall.