Best Hayride in St Elmo, IL
Jump to: 1. Happy Hollow Family Farms
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The best hayride in St Elmo, IL is Happy Hollow Family Farms, based on rating and review volume — it's the only one we currently track in town. Here's what it offers, how it's rated, and how to get there — followed by the questions we hear most about visiting. For every pumpkin patch we track nearby, see the full list of pumpkin patches in St Elmo, IL or browse all of Illinois. You can also browse hayrides everywhere we track them on our Hayrides near me page.
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Happy Hollow Family Farms
Happy Hollow Family Farms takes the top spot, rated 4.8 out of 5 from 46 reviews. Visitors come here for hayrides.
1697 N 2250 St, 62458
HayridesHappy Hollow Family Farms is ranked #1 on this list, located at 1697 N 2250 St, St Elmo, IL, 62458. It carries a 4.8-out-of-5 rating on Google from 46 reviews, which puts it among the more established pumpkin patches in our data. Beyond the pumpkin field itself, it's tagged for hayrides, so there's usually more to a visit than just picking a pumpkin and heading home.
Google hasn't surfaced a set of recurring review themes for Happy Hollow Family Farms yet, so there isn't a themed summary of what visitors say to pass along here — the star rating and review count above remain the clearest public signal until more detail comes in. In the farm's own words: "Seasonal, family-owned farm for picking pumpkins and hayrides (some with a maze)." Happy Hollow Family Farms is one of the farms we track with a hayride, which typically means hayrides run on a loop from the barn out to the pumpkin field, typically ten to twenty minutes, and at many farms they are the only way to reach the picking field at all. some are free with admission, some are a few doll…
Based on its public listing, Happy Hollow Family Farms is typically open Saturday 11AM-4PM, Sunday 11AM-4PM. Pumpkin patch hours shift often during the season — expect longer hours the two or three weekends around mid-October and shorter, sometimes weekend-only hours toward either end of the season — so treat this as a strong starting point rather than a guarantee. Admission pricing isn't listed for Happy Hollow Family Farms either — pumpkin patches generally charge one of three ways (free entry with pumpkins priced individually or by weight, a flat gate admission bundling attractions, or a per-attraction wristband system), so it's worth asking which applies here before you go. Payment methods aren't listed, and a meaningful share of family-run patches are cash-only for field admission and wagon rides even when the farm store takes cards — bringing some cash as backup avoids an awkward trip back to the car at the gate.
Like most working farms, the exact open and close dates for Happy Hollow Family Farms can shift year to year with weather and how the pumpkin crop comes in, even though the general window is fairly predictable. If you're planning a special trip, a weekday morning is consistently the quietest time to go, with shorter waits for wagon rides and easier parking than a weekend afternoon. Wear shoes you don't mind getting muddy — pumpkin fields are working farmland rather than paved lots, and they get soft fast after rain — and call ahead if it's rained heavily in the last day or two, since field access and hayrides are usually the first things a farm closes when the ground is saturated. Layers help too: fall mornings can start cold and warm up quickly once the sun is over an open field.
Happy Hollow Family Farms sits, near St Elmo, IL, with parking typically in a grass field rather than a paved lot — allow a few extra minutes on busy weekends for staff or volunteers to direct traffic, and if you're navigating by GPS rather than the link on this page, search the farm name directly rather than just the street address, since rural addresses sometimes route to the wrong gate. See the full profile — hours table, rating breakdown, review themes, FAQ and a map you can route from — on Happy Hollow Family Farms's listing page, or tap Directions below to head straight there.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best hayride in St Elmo?
Based on rating and review volume, Happy Hollow Family Farms ranks first among the hayride we track near St Elmo, with a 4.8-out-of-5 rating. See the full breakdown above, or its <a href="/illinois/st-elmo/happy-hollow-family-farms/">full listing</a> for hours and directions.
When is hayrides season near St Elmo?
Most farms with a hayride open it alongside the rest of their pumpkin season, roughly mid-to-late September through the first days of November, though the exact window shifts year to year with weather. Check the listings above or call ahead to confirm current dates.
How much does it cost to visit a hayride near St Elmo?
It varies by farm — some bundle the hayride into general admission, others charge separately. See the admission details on each listing above where we have them, or call the farm directly to confirm current pricing.
Is this hayride good for young kids?
It depends on the farm and, for haunted attractions in particular, can vary a lot in intensity. Check the individual listing pages above for feature tags and details, and call ahead if you're planning around a specific age group.
Do I need to book ahead for a hayride near St Elmo?
Some farms run first-come, first-served, while others — especially haunted attractions and festival-weekend events — use timed tickets. Check the farm's website or call ahead, particularly for a visit on a weekend in mid-October when demand peaks.
Summary
Happy Hollow Family Farms is the only farm we currently track with a hayride in St Elmo, IL, rated 4.8 out of 5. Ratings and review counts reflect public data at the time of writing and can change, and hours, admission and what's actually running on a given day can vary week to week during the season — always confirm with the farm directly before you drive out. For more options nearby, see the full list of pumpkin patches in St Elmo, IL or browse hayrides across every state on our Hayrides near me page.