Historic Yates Mill County Park offers programs covering history, nature, agricultural and recreational topics. Public programs are open for registration to the general public.
Public Programs
Register for a Public Program
In-Park Public Programs
Park Tales
For all ages (best for ages 6 and under); FREE. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment. Please arrive five minutes early for program check-in.
Park Tales: The Sun Shines Everywhere
Friday, Sept. 26, 10-10:45 a.m.
Join us as we read The Sun Shines Everywhere, a rhyming picture book that celebrates how the power of sunshine inspires and unites us around the world. Learn about the importance of the sun in daily life, and make fun crafts to take home! Best for ages 6 & under. Registration is required for everyone, and adult accompaniment is required for all children. FREE. Register .
Hands-on History
How did people live while Yates Mill was operating as a business from the mid-1700s to the mid-1900s? These drop-in programs explore different aspects of life in the past.
Hands-On History: Butter Churning
Friday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m.–noon
How did people live while Yates Mill was operating as a business from the mid-1700s to the mid-1900s? Join us for a drop-in, hands-on activity to learn about butter churning, then try your hand at making butter in a jar! This program will meet inside the A.E. Finley Center. No registration required. For all ages. FREE.
Drop-in Science
Offered quarterly. For all ages; FREE. Registration is not required, as this is a drop-in program.
Check back here for our next offering this fall!
Yates Mill Ponderings
This wintertime program series offers more in-depth looks into topics of scientific and historical interest. Best for adults and older teens; FREE. Registration is required.
Check back here in December 2025!
Hike with a Naturalist
For all ages (recommended for ages 8 and up); FREE. Registration is required for all participants, and children must have adult accompaniment.
Hike with a Naturalist
Friday, Sept. 12, 9–10:30 a.m.
Join one of our naturalist staff members on a guided hike around the park to discover the plants and animals that live here! Come prepared to hike at least a mile on natural surfaces by wearing close-toed shoes and bringing a full water bottle. Suggested for ages 8 and up; FREE. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment. Please arrive at the park office five minutes early for program check-in. FREE. Register .
Yates by Night
These evening programs offer visitors a chance to experience the park in the evening. Suggested for ages 8 & up; FREE. Registration required.
Check back later this fall for our next program!
History Hike
For all ages (recommended for ages 7 and up); FREE. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment. Please arrive five minutes early for program check-in. Offered in December, January and February.
Check back in December 2025!
Recreational Adventures: Paddle the Pond
For all ages (recommended for ages 5 and up); FREE. Registration is required for all family members, and children must have adult accompaniment. Please arrive five minutes early for program check-in. Offered in the spring and fall.
Recreational Adventures: Guided Canoe Paddle
Sunday, Sept. 7, 10-11:30 a.m.
Monday, Sept. 8, 9-10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Join us for a guided paddle around our pond in one of our canoes. We will start with a quick lesson on basic canoeing and paddling. Canoes, paddles, and life jackets are provided (no outside boats are permitted). This program is dependent on suitable weather conditions and water levels. For ages 10 and up (with an accompanying adult); FREE.
Each canoe can hold 1-4 people (800-pound total weight limit). Registration is PER BOAT. If you only need 1 boat, please register just 1 member of your group. Please call if you have questions.
To register for Sunday’s paddle, click .
To register for Monday’s 9 a.m. paddle, click .
To register for Monday’s 11 a.m. paddle, click .
Register for a Virtual Program
Virtual Programs: ecoEXPLORE
Registration through North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. This online program is geared toward children in grades K–8 and their families, but all are welcome! You will learn about the ecoEXPLORE project during the program. FREE.
EcoEXPLORE (Virtual): Entomology Season Round-up
Friday, August 29, 3–4 p.m.
Join to see our favorite observations of this season, see what new species have been found, and get a chance to share your favorite observations too! This virtual program is geared toward children in grades K-8 and their families, but all are welcome! You will learn about the ecoEXPLORE project during the program. is handled through the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. FREE.
Become a Junior Park Explorer!
Do you like to explore parks and preserves? Do you like winning prizes? Our Junior Park Explorers program is for you! .
Take a Self-guided Mobile Tour
Check out the Historic Yates Mill Mobile Tour and learn about the history of the 200-year-old grist mill, as well as the lives of the people who lived and worked in the area.
Self-guided Activities for the Family!
Self-Guided Activities
For all ages (adult accompaniment is required for all children); FREE. Stop by the visitor center anytime between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to pick up nature journals, activity packs, coloring sheets and more!
Exploration Station
These temporary displays are located inside the A.E. Finley Center in the exhibit hall area. Registration is not required. FREE.
Exploration Station: A New Deal for С»ÆѼÊÓƵ County
Sept. 16-30, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
In the 1930s, the federal government sent photographers across the country to document rural life during the Great Depression. Several photographers visited С»ÆѼÊÓƵ County and took pictures of farms, farmers, and their crops. Join us for this drop-in Exploration Station to see these photographs and learn more about life in 1930s С»ÆѼÊÓƵ County. This self-guided table will be available from September 16-30 inside the A.E. Finley Center. FREE.
Self-Guided StoryWalks®
Join us for this fun, self-guided activity, which will start at the parking lot kiosk near the Visitor Center and end near the mill. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. This wonderful program combines the joy of reading a story while also getting out and enjoying nature.
New to the StoryWalk® concept? Laminated pages from a children's book are attached to signs, which are installed along an outdoor path. As you stroll down the trail, you're directed to the next page in the story. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
StoryWalk®: "Worm Weather," Sept. 4–30
Everyone's Welcome
Historic Yates Mill County Park welcomes all visitors and affirms its commitment to offering programs and services that are accessible to everyone. We will make every effort to ensure that visitors of all abilities are fully included in all our programs and facilities. Check back regularly to see what new opportunities become available!
For questions about our accessibility resources or how we may best meet your needs in any of our programs, please contact the park at 919-856-6675 or yatesmill@wake.gov.