Home › Things to Do › Tennessee › Pigeon Forge › The Old Mill Square

Pigeon Forge · Old Mill District · Historic gristmill

The Old Mill Square

An 1830 water-powered gristmill on the Little Pigeon River, surrounded by a general store, pottery studio, candy kitchen and two scratch-cooking restaurants. Walking around is free.

4.6 on Google · 133 reviews

Plan your visit Directions Call (877) 653-6455

Plan your visit opens The Old Mill’s official visitor page. Parking for guests is free; mill tour tickets are sold at the General Store.

Details checked October 2026

Featured video

Video thumbnail from Floridians in the Smokies’s YouTube video about The Old Mill Square
Play video

The Old Mill Square Pigeon Forge · Floridians in the Smokies on YouTube

Overview What you’ll see Why go RV tips Reviews Plan your visit Stay nearby FAQs

Type

Historic gristmill

On the National Register of Historic Places since 1975

Admission

Free to walk

Guided mill tours $8 adults, $4 students 6–26

Hours

Restaurant 8 AM–9:30 PM

Daily, per old-mill.com; shop hours not posted

Time needed

2–3 hours

Our estimate with a meal; The Old Mill says plan a few hours

Parking

Free for guests

Buses and large vans park in Patriot Park

Built

1830

Still grinds corn by water power, with no electricity

What you’ll see

What to see at The Old Mill

The Old Mill is a cluster of shops and restaurants built around one of the oldest working gristmills in the country. Wander the grounds, watch potters at work and taste the mill’s cornmeal at lunch. Only the guided mill tour has a fee.

The red waterwheel turning beside the Old Mill on the Little Pigeon River, photographed in 2009
The mill waterwheel
Photo: Brian Stansberry on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Start here

Guided tour of the Historic Old Mill

The mill’s stones are still turned by the Little Pigeon River and grind up to 400,000 pounds of corn a year for The Old Mill Restaurant and Pottery House Cafe. In season, guided tours run every 30 minutes, Tuesday–Friday 2–5 PM and Saturday 10 AM–5 PM. Tickets are $8 for adults, $4 for students 6–26 and free for ages 5 and under, sold at the General Store on the day of the tour. Groups are limited to 10.

RV tip: tours fill in groups of 10, so stop at the General Store to buy tickets first, then shop or eat while you wait. Times can change without notice, so call ahead.

More to see

  • Pigeon River PotteryA working pottery studio since 1999, carrying on a tradition started in the late 1940s. Pottery demonstrations are free daily when tours aren’t running.
  • The Old Mill General StoreStone-ground cornmeal and other grains and flours from the mill, along with gifts and goods from The Old Mill. It’s also where you buy mill tour tickets.
  • Candy Kitchen and CreameryFudge, Bear Paws and seasonal treats, with century-old taffy machines that may be running when you visit, plus ice cream at The Old Mill Creamery.
  • Old Forge DistilleryOpened in 2014 in the old mule barn by the pottery. Tastings are free for guests 21 and older, and live music plays on the patio Mondays and Saturdays, 4–7 PM.

Visit The Old Mill website

The weathered wooden Old Mill building with its sign and porch in Pigeon Forge, photographed in 2012
The 1830 millPhoto: Billy Hathorn on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe and Grille sign above fall flowers, photographed in October 2023
Pottery House CafePhoto: Sarah Stierch on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
Water spilling over the Old Mill dam on the Little Pigeon River in Pigeon Forge, photographed in 2009
The mill damPhoto: Brian Stansberry on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
The Old Mill District arch over the bridge on Old Mill Avenue, photographed in October 2023
The Old Mill District bridgePhoto: Sarah Stierch on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Why go

Why The Old Mill belongs on your Pigeon Forge list

Pigeon Forge got its name here. Isaac Love built an iron forge on the Little Pigeon River in 1817, and the gristmill followed around 1830. The mill later housed the town’s first post office, made cloth for Union soldiers during the Civil War and was rebuilt after a 1920 flood. It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

It’s not a museum behind glass. The mill is water-powered with no electricity, and its stones still grind the corn served at The Old Mill Restaurant and Pottery House Cafe. A guided tour costs $8 for adults, and you can watch potters throw pieces across the street for free.

For RVers, it’s an easy half-day off the Parkway. Guest parking is free, the city’s trolley hub at Patriot Park is next door, and leashed pets are welcome around much of the property, including the Creamery and Farmhouse Kitchen picnic tables.

The Old Mill and its waterwheel lit at night above the Little Pigeon River, photographed in 2017
The mill at night
Photo: Martin Kraft on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Why it made our list

  • Working 1830 gristmill on the National Register
  • Free to walk; guided tours are $8 for adults
  • Free pottery demonstrations most days
  • Leashed pets welcome on the grounds
  • Trolley hub at Patriot Park next door

For RVers

Bringing the rig to The Old Mill

Guest parking is free and buses park at Patriot Park next door, but The Old Mill doesn’t mention RV parking. The tow car is easiest.

Where to park

Free guest parking is in front of the restaurants and shops, behind the Pottery House Cafe and on Butler Street. Overflow and paid parking is nearby in Patriot Park and off Old Mill Street, and buses and large vans park in Patriot Park. RV parking isn’t addressed, so unhook and bring the tow vehicle if you can.

Skip the Parkway backups

The Old Mill suggests two ways in: turn at stoplight #7 from the Parkway, or come in on Teaster Lane from Veterans Blvd. The Teaster Lane approach keeps you off the busiest stretch of the Parkway. If the lots near the mill are full, the city’s Municipal Parking Lot on Teaster Lane is the trolley system’s overflow lot.

Ride the Fun Time Trolley

All trolley routes start and end at the Mass Transit Center in Patriot Park, steps from The Old Mill. Most routes are $1 per boarding and the Dollywood route is $2.50; a $3 All Day Pass is sold at the transit office or in the app. Drivers take exact fare only, and pets aren’t allowed on board.

Bringing the dog

Pets on a leash or in a carrier or stroller are welcome on the property, including the open seating area near the shops, the Creamery, the Farmhouse Kitchen picnic tables and the Old Forge Distillery patio and indoor spaces. Service dogs may go in all restaurants and shops. The Old Mill asks guests not to leave pets unattended in vehicles.

What visitors say about The Old Mill Square

The visitor report card

We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 29, 2026.

Gather. Wander. Enjoy.

The Old Mill, describing a visit to the property · old-mill.com

Google

4.6/5

133 reviews

Read

Guided mill tour prices

Guided mill tour prices: Ages 5 and under Free, Students 6–26 $4, Adults $8FreeAges 5 and under$4Students 6–26$8Adults

From The Old Mill’s events and tours page, checked October 2026. Buy 4 or more tickets and save $1 per ticket. Student ID may be requested.

Good to know

Mill toursIn season, Tue–Fri 2–5 PM and Sat 10 AM–5 PM

Tour ticketsSold day-of at the Old Mill General Store

RestaurantsNo reservations; first come, first served

AccessibilityMill tours reach the first floor only; no lift

Tour prices, times, parking and pet rules from old-mill.com, checked October 2026. Tour times can change without notice; call (877) 653-6455 before you go.

Know before you go

Plan your visit

The Old Mill Square

  • Address175 Old Mill Ave, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
  • HoursThe Old Mill Restaurant is open daily: breakfast 8–11 AM, lunch 11 AM–4 PM, dinner 4–9:30 PM. Pottery House Cafe and The Old Mill Creamery are open daily. Shop hours aren’t posted; call (877) 653-6455. Guided mill tours run in season, Tuesday–Friday 2–5 PM and Saturday 10 AM–5 PM.
  • Phone(877) 653-6455
  • TicketsWalking the grounds, shopping and pottery demonstrations are free, and distillery tastings are free for ages 21+. Guided mill tours are $8 for adults, $4 for students 6–26 and free for ages 5 and under; buy 4 or more and save $1 per ticket. Tickets are sold at the General Store on the day of the tour.
  • Getting thereThe Old Mill is at 175 Old Mill Ave in the Old Mill District. From the Parkway, turn at stoplight #7. From Veterans Blvd, take Teaster Lane to the Old Mill District to avoid the busiest stretch of the Parkway.
  • ParkingFree guest parking is in front of the restaurants and shops, behind the Pottery House Cafe and on Butler Street. Overflow and paid parking is in Patriot Park and off Old Mill Street. Buses and large vans park in Patriot Park. RV parking isn’t addressed.
Plan your visit Get directions

Neither restaurant takes reservations and waits can be long. The Farmhouse Kitchen has grab-and-go food if you’d rather not wait.

Where to stay nearby

RV parks near The Old Mill Square

These are the Pigeon Forge-area parks we’ve written up, closest first. Drive times are estimates for a normal day; Parkway traffic can stretch them on busy evenings.

RVs parked on grassy riverside sites along the Little Pigeon River at Camp Riverslanding in Pigeon Forge
About 3 min · 1.3 mi via the Parkway

Camp Riverslanding

Private park with full-hookup sites along the Little Pigeon River, a short drive from the Old Mill end of town.

See Camp Riverslanding

Aerial view of Creekside RV Park in Pigeon Forge with the Great Smoky Mountains behind
About 7 min · 2.9 mi via the Parkway

Creekside RV Park

Full-hookup park off Henderson Springs Road with a seasonal pool. Closed January and February.

See Creekside

A fifth wheel on a wooded deluxe creek site at Up the Creek RV Camp
About 12 min · 5.5 mi via US-321

Up the Creek RV Camp

Wooded full-hookup sites beside a creek off Little Valley Road. No restrooms, so bring a self-contained rig.

See Up the Creek

Helpful answers

Frequently asked questions

The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.

The Old Mill doesn’t mention RV parking. Free guest parking is in front of the shops and restaurants and behind the Pottery House Cafe, and buses and large vans park in Patriot Park next door, where overflow and paid parking is also available. Unless you confirm RV space by phone, the tow vehicle is the easier choice.

Walking the grounds, shopping, pottery demonstrations and guest parking are free, and Old Forge Distillery tastings are free for ages 21 and up. The guided mill tour is $8 for adults, $4 for students 6–26 and free for children 5 and under.

The Old Mill suggests planning on a few hours, especially if you’re eating at one of its restaurants, which don’t take reservations. A mill tour, a walk through the shops and a meal fit comfortably into two to three hours.

Yes. Pets on a leash or in a carrier or stroller are welcome on the property, including the seating area near the shops, the Creamery, the Farmhouse Kitchen picnic tables and the Old Forge Distillery patio and indoor spaces. Service dogs are allowed in all restaurants and shops. Don’t leave pets in your vehicle.

Mill tours run in season on Tuesday–Friday afternoons and all day Saturday, so plan around those if you want to go inside. Arriving for breakfast or before the lunch rush shortens restaurant waits. Live music plays on the Old Forge Distillery patio on Mondays and Saturdays from 4 to 7 PM.

Yes. The mill is water-powered by the Little Pigeon River, uses no electricity and grinds up to 400,000 pounds of corn a year. That cornmeal is used at The Old Mill Restaurant and Pottery House Cafe and sold at the General Store.

Restaurant daily 8 AM–9:30 PM

Plan your stop at The Old Mill

Park free, buy mill tour tickets at the General Store and leave time for a meal. Call ahead to confirm tour times.

Plan your visit

or call (877) 653-6455

Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: Brian Stansberry (the mill waterwheel; the mill dam; CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons), Billy Hathorn (the 1830 mill; CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons), Sarah Stierch (Pottery House Cafe; the Old Mill District bridge; CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons), Martin Kraft (the mill at night; CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons); the images were resized. Video: Floridians in the Smokies on YouTube (The Old Mill Square Pigeon Forge). Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.

Disclaimer

RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with The Old Mill Square unless otherwise stated.

The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including published materials from The Old Mill Square and publicly available sources. Hours, pricing, rules and other details are set by the operators and may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly with The Old Mill Square at old-mill.com or (877) 653-6455. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.

We will always do our best to keep this page up to date. Thank you to everyone who contributes; we truly appreciate your help and support.

Call Directions Visit info