# Yates Mill County Park Thanksgiving Historic Gristmill & Millpond Trail > Event for families in the Raleigh–Cary area (NC). Times are Eastern Time. - When: Fri, Nov 27 · 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM - Where: Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603 - Ages: All ages - Price: Free park grounds admission; Optional historic mill tour tickets $3-$5 - Organizer: Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space - Official page: https://www.wake.gov/departments-government/parks-recreation-open-space/all-parks-trails/historic-yates-mill-county-park - Last checked: Thu, Nov 5 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 10, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/raleigh/activities/yates-mill-county-park-thanksgiving-historic-gristmill-and-millpond-tr--listing-bbf7e2f1ccae9f2ed8a2ff45 ## About Centered around the last operable water-powered gristmill in Wake County, Historic Yates Mill County Park in south Raleigh provides a picturesque Thanksgiving weekend outing. The historic gristmill, dating to around 1756, sits beside a scenic stone dam where rushing water tumbles into steep mill races. Families stroll the 1-mile Millpond Trail boardwalk along the edge of the 20-acre pond, admiring fiery orange and yellow fall foliage reflections. The park's A.E. Finley Center for Education and Research features hands-on exhibits exploring colonial grain milling, renewable water power, and native aquatic ecology. Children can complete a Junior Naturalist scavenger hunt while parents capture holiday family portraits against the historic wooden mill and rustic stone spillway. Family Experience & Accessibility: • Stroller Accessibility: Flat, wide gravel pathways and wooden boardwalks around the millpond comfortably accommodate strollers; some minor roots on woodland spurs. • Nursing & Rest Spots: The A.E. Finley Center offers clean, heated public restrooms with changing tables and peaceful rocking chairs on the covered back porch. • Age Suitability: Wonderful for all ages, from toddlers enchanted by the waterfall to grandparents enjoying the historic gristmill history. • Sensory Tips: Gentle, melodic sound of cascading water over the stone mill dam provides a naturally calming sensory environment. ## Similar picks in Raleigh - [Clemmons Educational State Forest Thanksgiving Talking Tree Trail](https://grassyknees.com/raleigh/activities/clemmons-educational-state-forest-thanksgiving-talking-tree-trail--listing-2d5d29ef9be85ed423d124e3) — Fri, Nov 27 · 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM · Clemmons Educational State Forest, Clayton · All ages · Free · checked Nov 5. 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