Utilities & services

Rural foothill homes run a little differently than city ones. Here's the everyday infrastructure.

At the house

• Power: PG&E, with occasional Public Safety Power Shutoffs in fire weather - many residents keep a generator.
• Heat & cooking: propane is the norm (buried or leased tanks), often with wood stoves as backup.
• Water: mostly private wells; some areas have small water systems. Know your source and its output.
• Sewer: private septic - budget for periodic inspection and pumping.
• Internet: a mix of DSL, fixed wireless, and satellite/Starlink depending on your ridge.
• Trash: subscription pickup in most areas, with transfer stations for the rest.

Where you'll go for things

Oakhurst is the service hub - grocery, hardware, restaurants, and the area hospital - with the Visit Yosemite | Madera County visitor center on Highway 41. County business runs through Madera (and Mariposa, for the Mariposa County side). Fresno, about 45 minutes down the hill from Coarsegold, covers big-city shopping, the airport, and specialist care.