Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park is a California State Park, preserving an outcropping of marbleized limestone with some 1,185 mortar holes—the largest collection of bedrock mortars in North America. It is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills, 8 miles east of Jackson.
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We camped here for the weekend with some friends & had a great time! The campsite is well maintained with a friendly host and park rangers, and the sites are all roomy feeling. They all have a metal fire pit with a drop-over half grate for bbq-ing food, and a picnic table. Water spigots are throughout the campsite. There is warm water in the sinks @ the bathroom, and an outdoor deep sink as well as foot shower at the bathroom. There was 1 regular shower and 2 handicap showers; token operated, $1 for 4 minutes. Firewood from camp host is $5/bundle.
We had several kids with our group, ranging from 14 to 1 year old. Camped with friends at an adjoining site. The kids enjoyed riding bikes around the loop, and walking along the various trails that led to a Miwok village, and also to the Grinding Rock and museum (sadly museum was closed for Covid).
There are a lot of trees which provide shade for the campsites. Because it's at low elevation, probably the best time of year to visit is spring and fall because it is quite hot in the summer. We were here late October and it was quite chilly at night. Bring coats & warm sleeping bags!
This camp is close to the Black Chasm Cavern, a must-see! The historic town of Volcano is just a few minutes away, which has a bakery that serves Gluten-free 😀 a burger joint, and a few shops to peruse. Definitely worth...
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I had been curious about this place for years, and frankly, it was underwealming. It looked cool in the pictures, but the actual rock is fenced off, so you can't get a good picture. The reconstructed village and roundhouse are cool, but during our visit, we were barred from entering and photographing the roundhouse because some Natives were having a ceremony. It's a complicated issue. On one hand, it's their ancestral homeland, on the other hand, it's also a public State Park. I think all visitors should be treated equally. I think visitors who are respectful, should be permitted to observe their ceremonies. After all, the whole reason I came here is to learn about Native culture. I totally second the idea of the park hiring a Native guide who could explain the history and significance of the place, and show visitors their rituals.
The park seems a bit poorly managed, and poorly designed. There was no one in the kiosk when we arrived, and some lady was doing the self pay and backed up the line. There should be a second lane, so visitors with Poppy Passes or Employee IDs, can bypass the que.
I was completely shocked, that they would leave the kiosk unstaffed during a...
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First visit to this park. Spent the morning walking on one of the trails and a light lunch in their picnic area. It was a very relaxing educational family time. I was surprised how well clean the restrooms and pinic area were. The Ranger was very helpful and friendly. Felt bad that he was the only one for the museum and walking section as there were a few groups in attendance. Kudos to the Ranger as he wasn't phased or showed frustration for long line. One word of warning, if you're not familiar with the area, about 2 miles in and out of the area there will be no cell service and your GPS (maps) may not work, so you’ll need to remember the way one came in when leaving until cell service kicks in. We would definitely want to come back to this park...
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