Just a few decades ago, the Salt Lake Valley had tons of wide-open, rural spaces. Little by little, those fields of hay and alfalfa were replaced by thousands of homes and hundreds of strip malls. Luckily, there are still a few farms and ranches here and there, and one of them is well-known for its epic fall festival in Utah. If you've never visited Cross E Ranch in the fall, this is the year to go!

Cross E Ranch is a family-owned farm and ranch operated by the 5th and 6th generations of the Hinckley family. Every fall, it hosts an epic, family-friendly Fall Festival, and you're going to want to put it on your calendar now.

The fall festival typically starts in mid-September and goes through the month of October. Block out an entire day because there's a lot to see and do here.

Start with a hay ride, where you'll tour the ranch, meet the cows, and learn a little bit about the ranch's history.

Then, get ready for a day of non-stop family fall entertainment. The mega slides send you flying 100 feet down the hill ...

... and the jump pad will burn off some of the kids' energy. You can also let the kiddos catch their breath for a minute while they play in the corn pit. You'll find 10 tons of corn in this pit and you can enjoy a shady spot to sit and relax for a bit.

Get lost in the huge corn maze. There's a fun new design every year and the maze always covers more than a dozen acres, with trails inside that are several miles long. This is one of Utah's best corn mazes.

Choose a pumpkin in the pumpkin patch. There are more than a dozen pumpkin varieties to choose from and many are perfect for carving.

All of this playing is certain to make you hungry, so grab some grub at this fall festival. You can also bring a picnic of your own.

You won't want to miss out on the ranch's famous apple cider donuts. Get 'em glazed or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar - either way, they're a tasty treat.

Starting in mid-September, the Fall Festival at Cross E Ranch in Salt Lake City is open Monday through Saturday. Your admission ticket gives you access to many of the activities available. However, the food, like the Cross E Ranch donuts, is an additional price.

For more information on this fall festival in Salt Lake City, Utah, visit the Cross E Ranch's website.

Have you ever attended this fall festival? What are some of your favorite things to do in fall in Utah? What do you love most about fall in Utah? Let us know in the comments. And if you are looking for more things to do in the Beehive State, visit Viator for a little adventure inspiration.