AMADOR COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & VISITORS BUREAU

VISITORS GUIDE

Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park

    Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park is a 135-acre park that was dedicated in 1968. The park preserves a great outcropping of marbleized limestone with over 1,185 mortar holes - the largest collection of bedrock mortar in North America.
    The Northern Sierra Miwok who settled in the area, gathered acorns and other kinds of seed and ground them into a meal in the mortar holes, or chaw se', in the limestone.
    Along with the mortar holes, the grinding rock features a number of petroglyphs. Some of these carvings are thought to be as much as two or three thousand years old.
    Trails make it easy to explore the meadows and surrounding forest. A Miwok village, complete with a roundhouse, bark houses, and acorn granaries, has been reconstructed at the park. Basket weaving and soapstone carving are demonstrated each month.
    Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, guided walks and campfire programs are scheduled. Big Time is a harvest celebration held the fourth weekend in September.
    The Park has 23 campsites with paved parking (trailers/motor homes to 27-feet); tables, food lockers, fire rings, piped water and restrooms with flush toilets and showers. Camping is available year round. Camping in the bark houses can be reserved for a group of up to 45 people.
    The Chaw'se Regional Indian Museum, also located at the park, has been designed to reflect the architecture of the traditional roundhouse. Exhibited in this museum are outstanding examples of the technology and crafts for the Miwok and other Sierra Nevada Native American groups. The museum is open Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the park is $2 per car. The bus fee is $20-40. For further information call 209-296-7488.

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