Historic Yates Mill County Park

There are plenty of great reasons to live in the Raleigh / Durham area. One of them is all of the natural beauty and outdoor activities you can easily find within a short 20-30 minute drive or less. The Historic Yates Mill County Park is one of the places you should take a day to experience, especially if you have some energetic kiddos who like to explore as I do.

This 174 acre park in southern Wake county highlights the old gristmill as the main attraction, and it still operates today, although only for show. You can learn about the mill, how it functioned and life as it was in the area over 200 years ago in the A.E. Finley center which is open for free, 7 days a week from 8am till 5pm. This is also where the water fountains and restrooms are located.

Another highlight is walking trails around the lake and catching a glimpse of some wildlife like deer, herons, fish, snakes, turtles and of course ducks and geese. If you have your fishing license you can also try your hand at catching some of the lake’s catfish or bluegill. No playgrounds are located at the park, but just a few minutes down the road at Lake Wheeler park you have playgrounds, boat launches a volleyball court, and a lot more to keep you busy.

For more info on local parks and services, the county website has loads of great information here: LINK