Guided tours of the mill are available 
during the months of March through the end of November.
Yates Mill is an operable grain mill established around 1756. The equipment in the mill is original, left after the Lea family ceased milling operations in the mid-1950s. A visit to this historic treasure provides an opportunity to learn about an integral aspect of rural life in the early days of settlement in Wake County.
Tour fees directly support the nonprofit Yates Mill Associates for maintenance and operations of Historic Yates Mill. For more information on how to become a member of Yates Mill Associates, please visit:
www.yatesmill.org.
Yates Mill merchandise is for sale on the third weekend of each month from March to November. Yates Mill stone-ground cornmeal and postcards are available every day from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the park visitor center.
Available Tours
Mill Open House – Saturdays at the Mill!
Want to get inside Historic Yates Mill? Join us for a half-hour tour (starting at 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m. or 3 p.m.) to view the main power drive and milling machinery while exploring the mill's history and aspects of its preservation. Preregistration is not required. Limit: 15 people per half-hour tour. Tickets are available inside the park's visitor center. For all ages.
Half-Hour Guided Tour; Saturdays, 1–3 p.m.
Upcoming dates:
June 22
July 6, 13 and 27
August 3, 10, 24 and 31
September 7, 14 and 28
Fee:
$5 for Adults
$4 for Seniors (ages 60 & over)
$3 for Children (ages 7–16)*
*Children ages 6 and under are free
Mill Heritage and Local History Tours
Discover Historic Yates Mill – a place of business, community and exciting local history! Explore the inner workings of the mill itself and witness the power of water as it turns the milling machinery. Tickets are available inside the park's visitor center. Reservations are encouraged. Most appropriate for ages 7 & up.
One-Hour Guided Tour; Sundays, 2–3 p.m.
Upcoming dates:
June 23
July 4, 7, 14 and 28
August 4, 11 and 25
September 1, 8, 15 and 29
Fee:
$5 for Adults
$4 for Seniors (ages 60 & over)
$3 for Children (ages 7–16)*
*Children ages 6 and under are free
Corn Grinding Demonstrations
Step back in time with our 19th-century costumed interpreters and watch the millstones at work grinding corn into meal. Tours are offered every 20 minutes beginning at 10 a.m. Reservations are encouraged. Tours are not available between 12–1 p.m., and the last tour of the day begins at 3:40 p.m. Tickets are available in the Mill Yard on the day of the tours. Most appropriate for ages 7 & up.
Half-Hour Guided Tours; Saturdays, 10 a.m.–noon and Saturday & Sunday, 1–4 p.m.
Upcoming dates:
June 15 and 16
July 20 and 21
August 17 and 18
September 21 (during Fall Harvest Celebration event) and 22
Fee:
$5 for Adults
$4 for Seniors (ages 60 & over)
$3 for Children (ages 7–16)*
*Children ages 6 and under are free
Organized Group Mill Tours
Historic Yates Mill County Park is pleased to offer guided tours to groups of 10 or more. Telephone requests for group tours are made by contacting the Group Program Coordinator, Rosemary O'Day, at 919-856-5638 or rosemary.o'day@wakegov.com.
Tour dates are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations should be made at least two weeks in advance. April and May are the busiest field trip months and dates fill up quickly. For groups that may be interested in other programs in addition to a mill tour, please refer to the Field Trips section of our website.
Limited Tour Offerings:
Tip Top to Bottom Mill Tour
Opportunities to explore all four floors of the mill don’t happen often and are different each time! Learn the history of milling in North Carolina, test your mill trivia, and learn about the dangers of working in a mill. Be prepared to climb a lot of stairs! Reservations are required. Tickets are available inside the park's visitor center. Most appropriate for ages 14 & older.
Two-Hour Guided Tour; Saturdays, 10 a.m.–noon
Upcoming dates:
June 22
July 6
Fee:
$10 for Adults
$8 for Seniors (ages 60 & over)
$6 for Children (ages 10–16)
Kids' History Detective Tour
Do you have what it takes to be a History Detective? Come to Yates Mill and find out! Solve puzzles, hunt for clues, and investigate the mystery of milling with real historical artifacts. Reservations are required. Tickets are available inside the park's visitor center. Most appropriate for ages 5–12.
One-Hour Guided Tour; Saturdays, 11 a.m.–noon
Upcoming date:
Fee:
$4 for Children (ages 5–16)*
*Children ages 4 and under are free
$5 for Accompanying Adults
$4 for Accompanying Seniors (ages 60 & over)