A corny way to get lost
A field just off Main Street holds a place where visitors are told to “Get lost.”
Green Canyon Corn Maze has a 20-acre span, which makes it the largest corn maze in Cache Valley. It has become an annual tradition and a popular autumn activity for visitors and residents of all ages.
“We’ve been doing this for 12 years,” said Nancy Jensen, whose family owns the maze. “It takes a month to prepare it, but we spend all year thinking about it.”
The maze is unique, she said, for many reasons. Each year owners Ron and Nancy Jensen create a unique design that forms the paths through the field. This year the theme is Egyptian, with the sphinx, two pyramids and a sun cut into the corn.
“With all the unrest that’s been going on in Egypt we thought it’d be a kind of neat theme,” Nancy Jensen said.
Even though the patrons in the maze can’t see the pictures, the owners agree, it helps them find the way around.
“People like to know where they are,” Ron Jensen said. “We have a lot of people who like to say ‘We’re in the head,’ or ‘We’re in the face.’ Most customers like to know how they’re progressing through the maze, and the design helps them.”
The process of creating trails through the maze takes from two weeks to a month to complete, he said.
“After we create the picture, we put a graph over top of it,” Nancy Jensen said. “Then we measure it with a big, long tape measure and mark it in the field. Then we dig out the corn with a tractor.”
Ron Jensen said the Green Canyon Corn Maze is the largest maze of its kind in Cache Valley so it’s difficult to go through without getting lost. For this reason, he said, there is a tower halfway through the maze to help visitors find their way. They are also provided maps for extra help. For those looking for a shorter experience, the maze offers a halfway point exit.
“There’s some that get out okay,” said Ron. “But they understand that they’re the lucky ones.”
While going through the corn maze, patrons can also search for ‘corny cash.’
“It’s fake money that’s tied up to the cornstalks, and if they find those they get free stuff,” Ron Jensen said. These vouchers can be redeemed at the ticket office for prizes such as free soda, candy or even free admission.
While Green Canyon Corn Maze may seem harmless during the weekdays, on Friday and Saturday nights the maze hosts a variety of potentially frightening attractions. According to Ron Jensen, the thrills during the haunted nights are designed in a way that isn’t gory or gross. The frights are based primarily on startling guests. With acres of corn, he said, there are infinite numbers of places for haunters to hide.
“We like to go for the startles,” Nancy Jensen said. “That’s the best. That way it’s just good clean fun.”
Ron Jensen said even though the maze is visited by many college students during the day, the haunted weekend nights attract the largest USU crowds.
“I loved the tension they created,” said Dallyn Steenerson, a Logan resident and former USU student who attended the maze. “You can hear the sounds of chainsaws in the distance, and then you get the complete shock when a guy jumps out of the corn.”
Liz Alley, a junior majoring in social work, agreed. She said, “I loved that you got lost but not so lost that it was long and frustrating. And you could always just follow the screams to know if you were going in the right direction.”
Visitors who come on non-haunted nights can find more to do than just wander through acres of corn. For the $7 admission price, Green Canyon Corn Maze also offers a mini-maze constructed of straw bales. This year, in accordance with the Egyptian theme, guests can slide down a large pyramid structure. There are also YouTube videos playing on screens outside the maze that visitors can watch while they wait for friends to finish the maze.
The Jensens both said, above all, they are dedicated to providing all visitors with a good time.
“I enjoy watching people make memories here,” Ron Jensen said. “They get pumpkins, go through the maze, get lost — I just really enjoy watching people have fun.”
Nancy Jensen said all the hard work and sacrifice to maintain the maze is worth it.
“It’s fun just to see people come out and have a good time and enjoy laughing and just goofing off with their friends,” she said. “It’s quite rewarding that way. We miss out on a lot of things socially, but it’s worth it to provide fun things for other families.”
– m.van911@aggiemail.usu.edu