Chukchansi Tribe, Coarsegold, California
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Coarsegold is the home of the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians. SSP has been invited again by the Tribal Council and the Chukchansi Indian Housing Authority to spend the summer of 2012 working in this community, which is located in the Sierra foothills between Fresno and Yosemite National Park.
The town of Coarsegold has over 10,000 residents. The Rancheria consists of several pieces of property, some within Coarsegold and others a few miles north of the town. The Rancheria was established one hundred years ago, but the land base was lost during the termination period in the 1950's. Federal recognition was reestablished in 1983, but the tribe had to borrow money to re-purchase land. Today there are about 1,200 enrolled members. The tribe owns and operates a casino where today most of the revenues go to debt repayment and tribal education activities. |
| Accommodations |  For the 2012 summer SSP has the great privilege of staying at Camp Oakhurst, a Christian conference center 7 miles from Coarsegold and 6 miles from the larger town of Oakhurst.
Breakfast and dinner will be provided by the camp, allowing our six person staff more time to focus on the spiritual life and construction aspects of the program. There is a pool and ball fields for free time, as well as hiking trails. The camp has177 acres of beautiful forested land and SSP will be sharing the camp facilities with other groups throughout the summer. Our sleeping arrangements will be in a cluster of alpine cabins that have canvas sides and bunk beds with mattresses. Each cabin sleeps twelve. There is a nearby bathhouse with indoor showers with hot water. |
| Type of Work |
Although the tribe is investing in some new housing, there is a lot of substandard housing, including mobile homes, on the Rancheria. We expect to be doing a variety of home repair work including repairing roofs, floors, and drywall and constructing wheelchair ramps, awnings and stairs as well as painting.  |
| Climate |
You can expect hot days in the 90's and nights in the mid 50's. The elevation of the area is around 2,000 feet. Bring layer of clothing for the nights as well as insect repellent. |
| Directions |  To get to Camp Oakhurst, consult Google maps or a similar mapping service to find the best route for your group. The camp is located off of Highway 41 between Fresno and the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park. All travelers to Coarsegold will probably come through California's Central Valley. Consult the driving times from major cities.
From the southern part of the valley, take Highway 41 from Fresno. From the northern end of the valley, take Highway 145 from Madera and connect to Highway 41. Camp Oakhurst is northeast of Coarsegold and southeast of the town of Oakhurst. From Highway 41, take Road 420/Thornberry Road for 1.3 miles. Turn right on Mudge Ranch Road for 0.7 mile; the camp will be on the left. There will be signs along the way for Camp Oakhurst. |
| Learn More |
Visit the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians' website.
View photos from the 2011 summer at Coarsegold. View photos from our February site visit to Camp Oakhurst on our facebook page. |
