Set on 150 acres just outside Groveland and about a 20-minute drive from Yosemite’s Big Oak Flat entrance, the Firefall Resort was conceived as a contemporary agrarian village. As the architect and interior designer, we drew from the Sierra foothills’ working landscape vernacular, using gable forms, timber armatures, metal roofs, and board and batten rhythms, then refined them with tight detailing and honest materials. The goal was to create a place that feels connected to its meadow and forest setting, where structures frame long views, step lightly on the land, and welcome guests with the unpretentious warmth of the region’s ranch buildings.

At the heart of the property, the 10,000 square foot main lodge gathers core guest services, including reception, a relaxed lounge, and a small convenience store, around a massive hearth that anchors both the arrival sequence and daily life. Complementary buildings include a full service restaurant and bar and a pool house with ample shade and space for gathering from day into evening. On the east side of the site, we located a 12,000 square foot event venue beside a spring fed pond, allowing large gatherings to spill outdoors to decks and lawns with water and mountain edge backdrops.

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Guests stay in one of 55 freestanding cabins arranged along gentle ridgelines and meadow edges to preserve privacy and sightlines. We developed two cabin typologies: a two bedroom, one bath model for compact stays, and a two bedroom plus loft, two bath model for families or small groups. Both emphasize indoor and outdoor living with deep porches, large sliding doors, and durable finishes that wear beautifully. Across the resort, the interiors echo the architecture through tactile, purpose made, and rooted in place design, combining stone, wood, and forged metal with soft textiles and warm, low glare lighting.