Straw-bale maze opens Sept. 16

A new straw-bale maze north of Kalispell opens to the public on Sept. 16.

Whitefish Stage Organic Farms at 2288 Whitefish Stage Road (one mile north of West Reserve Drive) has constructed a castle-shaped maze built out of approximately 3,500 straw bales.

The maze took about three weeks and hundreds of hours to assemble.

The maze will open to the public at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept.16, and will remain open through Oct. 31. The maze will be open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. each day and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

General admission to the maze will be $8 and will be free for children 4 years and younger with an adult.

There will be a children’s maze and a corn bin. There also will be fresh apple cider, cotton candy, fresh popcorn and baked goods using the farm’s produce.

Whitefish Stage Organic Farms is a 65-acre certified organic farm on Whitefish Stage Road started this year with almost 20 acres of fruit and vegetable production.

The fruit and vegetables are supplied to the approximately 170 members who participate in the vegetable share, as well as farmers markets and local grocery stores and restaurants.

The company has 10 local employees and estimates it provides approximately 2,000 meals a week for Flathead residents.