The River Maze At Ocoee Returns For 11th Season With New Attractions And Captivating Theme

  • Sunday, September 20, 2015
  • Dianne Fetzer
Jon Humberd
Jon Humberd

“Rivers of the Cherokee” is a new, challenging design. Miles of trails have intricately been carved into a corn field on the banks of the Ocoee River. The corn maze this year is a tribute to two important Cherokee figures.  Some of the paths are the rivers on which the Cherokee traveled in East Tennessee, North Georgia, and Western Carolina.  

The River Maze will feature more attractions the 11th season begins.  A huge jumping pad of 30 by 50 feet is being added. Also, there will be two new tube slides. There will be home grown pumpkins will be found on your ride to our pumpkin patch. The scenic beauty and many other attractions will be a rewarding experience for anyone going to the River Maze.

To celebrate the grand opening on Sept. 26, The River Maze is offering a special price of $7 regular admission.

The River Maze will give visitors the chance to "get lost" Sept. 26 through Nov. 1. Hours are Friday, from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday, from 11 a.m.to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Field trip hours, during weekdays, are available by reservation. The River Maze is three miles east of Ocoee, on US Highway 64.  Cost is $10 for ages 4 and up. This includes all mazes and the hayride. In addition, cow train rides, corn cannon shots, face painting, pumpkin painting, and “water wars” will be available through the purchase of tokens.  For those who want pumpkins, they will be for sale.  If visitors want to come for pumpkins only, the trip to the pumpkin patch will be $4 along with the purchase of pumpkins. Discounts are offered for groups and field trips.

For more information or to make reservations, call 423 650-0710 or visit www.TheRiverMaze.com

The River Maze experience offers something for everyone.
Exciting attractions this year are the “Jump Pad, the two 30 foot tube slides, a Spookley – themed timed maze (Tag with Spookley and Friends), Barnyard Basketball and Football, Tether Ball and more…

The River Maze also has a maze carved in a field of soybeans.  It features “The Three Sisters”.  These are beans, corn, and squash. The Cherokees raised them in a unique way.  The little ones will really enjoy this.

There are also two little mazes, “The Color Maze” and “The No Left Turn Maze.”  

Interactive “passports” are available for groups and the general public. Each contains ten questions that quiz the user on a chosen subject, and those who answer the questions correctly will receive clues that guide them along the correct path to the exit. Subjects include: sports, boy scouting, girl scouting, scriptural, American history, interactive, teambuilding, and agriculture. 

Our new scavenger hunt through the maze this year will be “Sequoyah’s Secret Message”.  Find all the checkpoints and you can solve this puzzle.

We have made our maze “smart”.  You can use your smartphone for trivia questions and the checkpoints.  You can scan the code at our entrance or go to the website, www.mazetrivia.com. Group leaders, you can use this website to customize your own questions for your youth. 

The River Maze caters to school field trips during the day and has created an education campaign that includes: lesson plans and activity sheets for teachers, discounted field trip opportunities, and an educational “passport” that can be custom designed by our staff or you can do it yourself at www. Mazetrivia.com. It integrates what students are learning at school into the maze experience and helps guide students along the correct pathway. Teachers can access curriculum materials and field trip information online at www.TheRiverMaze.com. Field trips can also be scheduled by reservation

In an effort to make the experience as easy or as hard as visitors want it to be, the maze has been divided into two phases: beginner and expert. Participants will have the option to continue on to the next phase or exit the maze at the entrance to the second level.

Customized activities have been added for birthday parties, corporate outings and group rivalries/races. 

The River Maze has its own pumpkin patch.  Come pick the perfect pumpkin.  

If the weather is still warm, visitors can battle each other in “Water Wars” (a water balloon launcher).

Other  attractions include “Corn Toss”, and “Corn Ball”

Visitors can still meet Spookley the Square Pumpkin, the Official Spokes-Pumpkin for National Bullying Prevention Month, to raise awareness for bullying prevention.  

Visitors need to come hungry.  An awesome snack bar will be available featuring Hamburgers, Hotdogs, etc. along with delicious desserts.


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