I’m always on the lookout for beautiful sunflower and wildflower fields to visit, so when I learned about Maple Bottom Farm in southwestern PA, I knew I had to check it out.
Maple Bottom Farm can be found about halfway between Scottdale and Dawson in northern Fayette County, PA. This farm features a variety of year-round attractions including animals, a farm food shop, a vacation rental, and much more.
However, for a few weeks each summer (typically early August through mid-September), it comes alive with an incredible array of flowers that visitors are welcome to walk-through, explore, and pick.
Maple Bottom Farm features 10 acres of flowers, though they stagger their plantings, so not all 10 acres will have blooms during your visit. The advantage, however, is that unlike many other flower fields in PA, this is a great spot for visit for upwards of six to seven weeks instead of the typical one to two.
That makes it both a lot easier to visit and ensures that crowds will likely be a bit lighter since not everyone is trying to go on the same few peak days.
I had a chance to visit early in the season in July 2023. And, despite it being a Saturday afternoon, there was plenty of room to explore and lots of great photo opportunities.
The highlight here is the Sunflower Maze. However, since the flowers aren’t super tall, there isn’t really much challenge to finding your way around here. Instead, the maze lets you easily meander through the field and gives you many great photo opportunities with both the sunflowers and the other flower varieties that are planted here (mainly cosmos, zinnias, and wildflowers).
Around the property, a few different props are set up, which are great if you are visiting with a group and can lead to some really fun and whimsical photos.
For me, as a solo visitor and a landscape photographer, I was more attracted to the rolling hills and the beautiful working farm that provided a great backdrop for my photos of the flower fields. This is truly a beautiful spot for photos.
If you plan ahead, Maple Bottom Farm offers farm tours that are sure to give a great glimpse into their operations here. However, even without a tour, I was able to walk over to see some young calves that were in small enclosures near the flower field.
These animals were quite cute and several were definitely interested in getting attention from me when I walked over.
Maple Bottom Farm also offers a variety of farm fresh food for sale, including some delicious ice cream, if you need a snack or want to take home some fresh delicacies from the farm.
Overall, Maple Bottom Farm is a wonderful summertime destination for wildflowers and sunflowers in the Laurel Highlands. While I’ve certainly seen larger fields than they have here (Such as at Lesher’s Sunflower Field in eastern PA), the variety of flowers and the layout at this spot makes it I really fun spot to visit.
Maple Bottom Farm’s flower fields are typically open in August and September, and the exact dates and hours can be found on their website. Admission is $8 per person (cash only) and includes a cup of cut flowers.
Maple Bottom Farm can be found at 1119 Cunningham Bridge Road, Dawson, PA 15428.
Looking for more places to visit nearby? Check out West Overton Village, Buffalo Bill’s House, and the waterfalls of East Park in Connellsville.
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