First Light Resorts

Three remarkable lodges, endless Yosemite adventures

2021 Travelers' Choice Tripadvisor

FIRST LIGHT RESORTS

First Light Resorts provides visitors with three remarkable lodging options that are each ideal for exploring Yosemite National Park: Evergreen Lodge, Rush Creek Lodge and now Firefall Ranch.  Each lodge serves as a ‘destination within a destination’ and brings its own distinctive style to amenities such as restaurants, taverns, general stores, heated saltwater pools & hot tubs, daily activities, and professionally guided excursions, with no hidden resort fees.

Those seeking sustainable travel options are happy to learn that all three lodges meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, operating and fully self-funding a behind-the-scenes Youth Program, comprehensive water conservation systems that repurpose nearly 100% of water onsite, and a host of additional stewardship efforts.

    OUR PHILOSOPHY

    Our ties to the Yosemite area reach back to 2001, when we purchased Evergreen Lodge as a means to self-fund a Youth Program teaching job and life skills to under-served Bay Area youth. We were thrilled to be able to expand our Youth Program, environmental mission, and meaningful approach to hospitality to Rush Creek and to our newest property, Firefall Ranch.  

    Over the years, we have worked hard to be deserving of praise from a variety of well-respected travel authorities.  We’ve earned the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence and Lonely Planet’s Top Choice award, and we are Recommended by Fodor’s, a Frommer’s Favorite and a Sunset Magazine “hidden gem.” We’re looking forward to more of the same at Firefall.

    We feel lucky to be stewards of such special places, and we are committed to making sure our properties continue to create lasting memories for generations to come. We love being in the “make people happy” business, and we are proud and excited to offer all-around lodging and guest experiences that are unparalleled in the Yosemite area.

    Our goal is to provide gracious and friendly service, quality products, private and communal settings, and a huge array of opportunities for you to enjoy your time with us and to explore the Yosemite area.

    Simply stated, we want you to be blown away by your experience with us and to not want to leave. We hope you will return and become a regular part of the Evergreen, Rush Creek and Firefall traditions and family. And if you can’t come back, we want your time with us to always be remembered warmly.

    We look forward to seeing you here, and we hope that our lodges brings you as much joy and pleasure as they do us.

    Regards,
    Lee Zimmerman and Brian Anderluh