Seven thousand hand-carved pumpkins. Ten acres of riverside dark.

Every fall, a team of artisans turns the grounds of Van Cortlandt Manor into something that's hard to picture until you've walked through it. Life-sized dinosaurs. A working carousel. A planetarium built entirely of glowing gourds. And the Headless Horseman, riding out of the dark at the edge of an 18th-century estate above the Hudson.

The trail runs more than half a mile through the manor's grounds, and it's paced less like a museum walk than like a piece of music. Single carved faces give way to grouped tableaux, then to full set pieces you move through rather than past — arches, tunnels, and clearings where the pumpkins climb well above head height. Displays are lit in sequence and scored to an original soundtrack, so light and sound move together and the walk keeps reintroducing itself around each bend.

One thing worth knowing before you book: this isn't a haunted house. Nobody jumps out at you. It's a walking trail through an enormous piece of seasonal art, and it works just as well for a six-year-old as for the friend who insists they've outgrown Halloween.

New for 2026

The trail is longer this year, with more displays than any previous season, including:

• A photo op with your favorite movie monsters
• Storybook characters carved to look like they've stepped off the page
• A full-blown pumpkin dance party

Returning favorites — the dinosaurs, the Pumpkin Planetarium, the carousel — are all back.

Make a night of it

Two ticketed add-ons let you step off the trail midway through:

• The Gourd & Goblet Tavern — signature cocktails, savory and sweet bites, table service, and tavern games inside the manor's 18th-century brick tavern. Best for adults. It sold out every night last season.
• The Headless Horseman's Hideaway — a pop-up lounge with Legend-inspired drinks, German-style snacks, and visits from the Horseman himself. All ages welcome.

Both require a combo ticket booked in advance. Alcohol is 21+ with valid ID, no exceptions.

Know before you go

• Where: Van Cortlandt Manor, 525 South Riverside Avenue, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
• When: September 18 – November 8, 2026. Open every night in October; select evenings in September and November. Entry times vary by date.
• Tickets: From $24, varying by date and time. Advance purchase only — nothing is sold at the gate. Free standard timed tickets for Historic Hudson Valley members; children 2 and under are free and don't need a ticket.
• Sold out? FLEX and FLEX PLUS tickets get you in on any open night with no reservation, even on dates that are otherwise full. They're limited, so they go early.
• Ages: All ages
• Getting there: Croton-Harmon is a short walk away on Metro-North's Hudson Line. See our guide to visiting Sleepy Hollow without a car.
• Dress: It's a long outdoor walk on an autumn night by the river. Layer up.

Tickets and full calendar: pumpkinblaze.org or 914-366-6900 (phone orders may carry a surcharge)

Presented by Con Edison. Proceeds support Historic Hudson Valley, a nonprofit education and preservation organization. One of many things to do during Halloween in Sleepy Hollow Country.