Follow these tips and rules for a pleasant visit

Please come prepared! There are no regular staff on site, restroom facilities or drinking water at the preserve. (The closest facility is a gas station about four miles away, at Rolesville Road and Hwy. 64 Business.)

Safety and enjoyment go hand in hand. The following rules are in place to ensure a safe, pleasant visit and also to protect the preserve:

1. Life jackets required while boating.
2. Clean up after your pets.
3. Keep pets on a 6-foot leash.
4. Park only in designated areas. (No parking on roadsides or outside preserve gates)
5. THE FOLLOWING ARE PROHIBITED:
   • Open fires
   • Alcoholic beverages
   • Tobacco and vapor products
   • Hunting
   • Feeding of wildlife
   • Swimming or wading
   • Collection or release of any natural material or living organism unless otherwise designated by Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space staff
   • Amplified music
   • Littering
   • Firearms
     • This does not prohibit concealed handgun permit holders from legally carrying a concealed handgun in accordance with N.C.G.S. 14-415.11
   • Overnight parking and camping
   • ATVs and other motorized vehicles

Parks, Recreation and Open Space staff may take photographs or video of park patrons of all ages to demonstrate the use of our parks. Photographs may be used in print, video or digital media. Any Wake County staff taking photographs or video for this purpose will be wearing recognizable Wake County Parks uniform or other visible ID. If you do not want to be photographed or have your child photographed during your park visit, then please notify park staff.

Are you a professional or amateur photographer interested in taking photos at Robertson Millpond?

Robertson Millpond Preserve is picturesque and provides the perfect setting for a variety of photography opportunities. To ensure that all park visitors have an enjoyable experience, registration is required for photo shoots.

Please see the Photography Permit Information for a complete list of rules and guidelines and how to register for a permit.

Bring your own kayak, canoe, paddle board or small trolling boat and launch at the grassy launch site or from the ADA-accessible boat dock. Both are close to the parking lot.

The trail is marked by numbered buoys through the cypress swamp. The trail is 1.15 miles long and takes approximately an hour to paddle.

For standing paddleboards, we recommend using the trail from buoy 1 up to buoy 26 along the western side of pond, which includes a wider trail, open areas, and the creek channel. The eastern side of pond is narrower and shallower.

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The boardwalk offers benches and platform access to the pond for fishing. Fishing is also allowed from the shoreline, kayak, canoe or other boat with trolling motor (no gas-powered). Boats are transported a short distance from parking area to either grassy launch site or ADA dock launch site. 

There are a wide variety of fish in the pond, including sunfish, catfish and pickerel. All NC Freshwater Fishing Regulations apply, and you can get your fishing license online from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission website or at an outdoor supply store or bait shop.

Learn more about fishing at Robertson Millpond Preserve here.

The geocaches located at the preserve are hidden containers of varying sizes that have been approved by preserve staff and placed for your exploration and enjoyment. Use GPS devices to find these hidden containers and then record your find on the paper log provided in the geocache. This activity is self-guided by getting coordinates from Geocaching.com and bringing your own GPS unit or phone.

Placing a Geocache
Geocaching on Wake County Park property is handled on a park-by-park basis. Geocaching is an accepted recreational activity at Robertson Millpond, with approval prior to placement. To obtain the approval you must complete and submit a Geocache Form to Naturepreserve@wake.gov.

Wake County Parks, Recreation & Open Space has a "No Collection" policy that does not allow visitors to take things (natural or man-made) from the parks. Our parks contain both historically significant structures and documented cemeteries that should not be disturbed.

Metal detectors and magnet fishing may be used to look for an item you have specifically lost, but not to "treasure hunt" in general. The Park Manager must be notified and grant permission in advance of using a metal detector or magnet fishing to search for a personal lost item.

Due to the increasing use of Unmanned Aircraft, Remote Control Vehicles and Model Rockets, Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) has developed this policy to protect park resources and ensure an enjoyable experience for all park visitors.

How was your experience?

Please take our survey to let us know about your experience at Robertson Millpond Preserve!