Meet the Hog Maze

Anyone old enough to remember the days of Danny Ford walking the sidelines as the University of Arkansas’ football coach might also remember his disdain for the fact recruits often flew over an eyesore of a salvage yard before landing at Drake Field.

You know, first impressions and all.

Well, thanks to Rod Wallace of Cave Springs, recruits might now pass over a 6-acre, Razorback-shaped corn maze before landing at nearby Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. Yes, the Ozark Corn Maze is set to open Sept. 2.

Wallace said he got the idea several years ago, but was too busy during the construction boom to pursue it. The industry slowdown allowed him to move forward, and OCM also will feature a petting zoo and pumpkin patch among other attractions.

The use of a Razorback outline was cleared by school officials, and a geometric pattern consisting of about 10,000 linear feet of trails is inside its borders. Wallace said Precision Mazes of Lee’s Summit, Mo., used GPS technology to cut the maze in about four hours.

An Aug. 31 ribbon-cutting ceremony has been scheduled and will be attended by students of the Benton County Sunshine School, with grilled burgers and hot dogs provided by Iberiabank. For regular hours and prices, check out ozarkcornmaze.com or its Facebook page.