About Dollinger Family Farm
The Dollinger family has farmed this land near the old town of Dresden since 1852, and John and Noreen Dollinger began growing pumpkins here in 1989. The farm still has buildings from the Illinois and Michigan Canal days, including an 1834 mule barn where canal teams were changed and Rutherford's Tavern, a former stagecoach stop, along with a 1909 bee barn, a milk house and a summer kitchen. Narrated hay rides tell the farm's history, ghost stories and legends.
The fall season runs daily from mid-September to the end of October; in 2026 that was September 14 to October 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission and parking are free. The pumpkin patch sells pumpkins, gourds, squash, corn shocks and straw bales, priced by size. The four-acre corn maze has a new design each year and is open every day, and the Dollinger Express train runs on weekends, Columbus Day and Fun Fridays.
Children can play for free on hay piles, a pirate ship, a castle, a sandbox and a crawl tunnel, visit sheep, pigs, donkeys, turkeys and ducks, watch an observation beehive in the bee barn and climb into the corn bin. On weekends the Engine Shop sells Grandma Dollinger's fudge in more than 15 flavors, homemade donuts, caramel apples, kettle corn and hot cider, plus pizza and sandwiches; a weekday lunch counter is open 11 to 2. The farm hosts birthday parties, school field trips and corporate events.
Nettle Creek Lavender Farm, west of Morris, is about 25 minutes away along I-80, though its farm stand is a summer stop rather than a fall one.
What to do
- Walk the four-acre corn maze, mid-September through October
- Take a narrated hay ride through the farm's history and legends
- Ride the Dollinger Express train on weekends
- Choose pumpkins and gourds from the patch
- See the 1834 mule barn and the bee barn's observation hive
- Buy Grandma Dollinger's fudge and homemade donuts on weekends
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Mid-September through October 30 (2026 season September 14 to October 30)
- Hours
- 2026 season: daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Admission
- free; corn maze $4.50, train $4.50, hay ride $6 (posted on their website, 2026 season)
Good to know
- Dogs
- Leashed
- Accessibility
- Accessible parking at the west entrance, accessible portable restrooms and some asphalt and gravel paths
Tips for your visit
- The parking lot is a hay field and can be damp or uneven
- Food from the Engine Shop is weekends only; weekdays have a smaller lunch counter from 11 to 2
- The farm may close for bad weather and posts updates on its social pages
- Corn maze, train and face painting tickets can be bought ahead on their website
Pair it with a lavender farm
Nettle Creek Lavender Farm · about 25 minutes away
Nettle Creek's lavender is a June and July visit, so plan the two as summer and fall trips in the same corner of Grundy and Will counties.
Getting there
Questions
Is there an admission fee?
No, admission and parking are free; the corn maze, train, hay ride and face painting are ticketed.
Can I bring my dog?
Yes, well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome; owners must clean up after them, and the farm animals may not be fed.
When is the farm open?
Daily in fall; in 2026 the season ran September 14 to October 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Morris, Illinois, Along the I&M Canal
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
