Visit Information
Day Use
The day use area of the park contains several grinding rocks and a reconstructed Miwok village, which includes bark houses, acorn granaries, a game field, and the ceremonial round house. There is a picnic area near the large grinding rock and another picnic area next to the museum. Please do not use campsites for picnicking. For groups over 25 people, please contact the park at 209-296-7488 for information and guidlines.
The park is open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset. The Chaw'se Regional Indian Museum is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; admission to the museum is free with your paid parking.
Camping
Visit the camping page for more information on camping at the park.
Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park offers 22 campsites for overnight camping. The campground has room for vehicles up to 27 feet long. All campsites include a fire ring and a picnic table.
School Group Tours
School tours are conducted from March 1st through approximately the middle of June and also September 1st through approximately the middle of November. Reservations for school group tours must be made in advance. Please call the park to inquire about available dates and school fee waivers.
Trails
There are two developed trails within the park. The North Trail, a one-mile round-trip, starts near the museum. It traverses the ridge surrounding the meadow, passes by the old farm site, crosses the creek, and continues to the reconstructed Miwok village site before returning to the museum by way of the roundhouse and grinding rock.
The half-mile long South Trail starts near the roundhouse and has an accompanying trail guide that identifies some of the plants that were used by the Miwok. A trail guide is available for 50 cents and is located at the start of the South Trail near the round house; deposit money into the brown metal box with the guides.
Wildlife
The park is small, but offers many opportunities to observe wildlife. The mixture of oak woodlands and mixed pine forest provides a wide variety of habitats.
Birdlife varies depending on the season, but many species are seen year round, including turkey vultures, scrub and Steller's jays, California quail, acorn and hairy woodpeckers, northern flickers, hermit thrushes, wild turkeys (non-native), and California thrashers. In summer, the bright colors of the western tanager, northern oriole, calliope and Anna's hummingbirds can be seen in the woods around the meadow. A bird list is available at the museum.
Animal life in and around the park includes deer, fox, gray and California ground squirrels, black-tailed jackrabbits, bobcats, bats, and occasionally a mountain lion or black bear. The legendary coyote - the trickster of Miwok stories - can be heard singing on quiet summer nights.
Dogs in the Park
For a more enjoyable park visit with your four-legged friends, please remember the following rules when visiting the park with your dog:
Dogs must be on a six foot, or shorter, leash at all times and physically under your control.
Dogs are allowed on the paved roads, the paved walkway and in the campground at your campsite.
Dogs are not allowed on any of the trails, in the open meadows, the forested areas or in the Environmental Campground.
When camping, dogs are not allowed to sleep outside at night but must sleep in a tent/RV with you, or inside a vehicle.
Dogs are not allowed in the museum.
Dogs are not allowed to chase or harass wildlife of any kind.
Please clean up after your dog.
If you have any questions please contact the park at (209) 296-7488.
Additional Park Information
Alcohol in the Park
The consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited in all areas of the park at all times except the 22 developed family campsites; this prohibition includes the Environmental Living/Group Camp area.
Drones
Drone use is not premitted at Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park.
Bicycles
Bikes are only allowed on paved roads.