“He was looking around for farmers that had some land right off the interstate and somebody gave him my husband’s name,” said Bethany Searle.
In 2017, Bethany and Ryan Searle were contacted by Richard Johnson, the owner of the Wild Adventure Corn Maze in Firth, Idaho. He was looking to move his maze from Firth to Idaho Falls and requested to use some of their land right off Exit 113.
Johnson built his maze on the Searles’ property and ran it for about a year. Johnson asked the Searles if they would be interested in buying the property from him, and they agreed.
Since then, Bethany and Ryan Searle have been running the Wild Adventures Corn Maze every year from the middle of September to the beginning of November.
The maze entrance. Photo credit: Kenzie Fox
The maze now includes other activities such as ziplines, a barrel train, a bounce pad, a corn pit, a rock-climbing wall, a pumpkin patch and a wagon ride.
The maze itself includes a small, medium and large length trail, each with a small game inside, so people of all ages can participate. The small maze is usually used for field trip groups.
Bird's eye view of the corn maze in 2022. Photo credit: Bethany Searle
“We take them through the little maze that’s … about 20 minutes,” Bethany said. “We play a game where … a bunch of animals stole Farmer Joe’s pie … and they can compare and match animal tracks and find out who stole Farmer Joe’s pie.”
During the month, before the corn maze opens, the Searles have a 10-acre sunflower field on the same plot of land with over 30 different types of sunflowers.
“The sunflower field … builds a different vibe, ” Bethany said. “It’s a lot more laid back … and peaceful … whereas the corn maze … is just wild and crazy.”
The corn maze layout this year. Photo credit: Kenzie Fox
After the sunflower and corn seasons are over, they are harvested and fed to local animals and replanted the next year.
To learn more about Wild Adventure Corn Maze visit its website.
