Halloween is quickly approaching. It’s that time of year when students begin searching for the perfect holiday thrill, usually found within the typical, haunted-house attractions.

These days, however, October activities include more than chain saws and gore showcased in a haunted warehouse. Several area attractions provide creative Halloween entertainment suitable for the whole family, without overlooking the thrills and chills of the season.

One alternative, Pathways Corn Maze, is an 8-acre maze north of Joplin. Jennafer Johnson, who along with her husband is in charge of the maze, said this is the first year of operation for Pathways Corn Maze. The maze serves as a fundraiser for Pathways United Methodist Church, located in Alba, Mo. Johnson said the turnout for the maze thus far has been great.

“It’s hard to differentiate between the day and night turnout,” she said, adding Pathways has activities during the day in addition to the maze, such as a hayride and the corn crib, a corn-filled sandbox for younger children who receive prizes for finding coins hidden beneath the corn.

After dark there is the flashlight maze.

“It’s been a really cool opportunity,” Johnson said. “This is something everybody can come to.”

The Right Choices Corn Maze, located in Southwest City Mo. is also home to Manning Brothers Elk River Farm, and is another family-friendly attraction near Joplin. Galen Manning, who owns the operation with his brothers, said he was writing his book titled Right Choices around the time the idea for the maze was initiated, and chose to incorporate the theme of his book in the maze.

“It kind of fits because it takes right choices to go through the maze, and right choices to go through life,” Manning said.

The first section of the book, which deals with making right choices for health, was chosen as the theme for this years’ maze. Right Choices Corn Maze is focused on more than Halloween, one reason why the maze is open past Halloween until Nov. 8, said Manning.

“We promote being outside, being on the farm and making ethical choices,” he said. “We always say we’re not against Halloween, but we don’t trick or treat for Halloween. We just treat.”

Manning said this year Right Choices will donate a portion of every ticket sold during Halloween weekend to ACHE Dentist in Anderson, Mo., for those unable to afford dentistry.

“It’s fun stuff,” Manning said. “But it’s sending the message to take care of your body, take care of your health.”

A spook trail is another alternative to a haunted house. Haunted Hallow Spook Trail, located about a mile south of Flying J on East 32nd St, takes anyone who dares to make the venture out through acres of wooded haunted attractions.

“You never know what’s going to pop out at you,” said Tamara Burt.

Burt has helped her husband, Brian,Brian, run the trail for the last 7-8 years of the 16 years he has been in charge.

“I’m too scared to go through it!” she said jokingly, but added the slaughterhouse is one of her favorite parts of the trail.

The hillbilly shack, the plumber’s quarters and the clown room are just a few of the others attractions.

“We’ve always had a maze but we change it up each year so people don’t get bored and they keep coming back,” said Burt.

The trail is also home to the Haunted Hearse, a 1965 Cadillac jacked up with monster tires. “It’s pretty freaky,” Burt said of the hearse, adding customers enjoy taking pictures.

Mauller’s Frightmare, located east of 20th street in Joplin, is a walk-thru trail of both indoor and outdoor activities.

“We’re more family-oriented,” said Owner Larry Mauller, who has seen children as young as 2 go through the Frightmare.

“We train our actors to tone it down for the little ones,” Mauller said, “But we can still make people want to pee their pants.”

Mauller also said he has seen more and more teenagers come in with their parents each year.

“That makes us feel we’re doing something right,” he said.

Mauller said they decided Mauller’s Frightmare would be an indoor/outdoor walk-thru after hearing from people who preferred indoor haunted houses, as well as some who preferred the outdoors.

“We figured, why not combine the two?” he said. “By doing that we get the best of both worlds.” According to Mauller, charities set Mauller’s Frightmare apart from some other Halloween attractions. Aside from holding a food driving and giving funds raised by concessions to a local church’s own donation efforts, the Frightmare also gives 10% of its proceeds toward MDS.

“We like to feel like we’re giving back to the community,”