The park nestles in a little valley 2,400 feet above sea level with open meadows and large valley oaks that once provided the native Americans of this area with an ample supply of acorns. The Sierra foothills experience warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters.
Many summer days exceed ninety degrees.
Snow falls occasionally during the winter in the Chaw se area, but most precipitation takes the form of rain. The museum features a variety of exhibits and an outstanding collection of Sierra Nevada Indian artifacts. A Miwok village complete with roundhouse has been reconstructed in the middle of the valley. The Museum has been designed to reflect the architecture of the traditional roundhouse. Exhibited in this two-story museum are outstanding examples of the technology and crafts of the Miwok and other Sierra Nevada native American groups.