Yellowstone is filled with rich visuals and sumptuous settings. So much so that you might be tempted to visit the home of the Duttons one day, but you’ll need this guide on the Yellowstone filming locations before you plan that trip.
Across five seasons of Yellowstone we’ve been treated to beautiful backdrops from mountain ranges to endless fields, and spent time in luxury office buildings and quaint cottages. The show takes place in Montana, but the actual production is not as straightforward as you might think.
The idea of territories and borders is paramount to Yellowstone’s stories, so you’d better know where one piece of land starts and ends before you venture into John Dutton’s many acres of farmland. Don’t worry, though, you won’t need a map to know where exactly the best Yellowstone episodes take place.
We’ve gathered all the details on the key Yellowstone filming locations from the Taylor Sheridan TV show right here for you.
Is Yellowstone actually shot in Montana?
Funnily enough, for the first three seasons of Yellowstone the show was largely shot in Utah, as opposed to the actual setting of the drama series, Montana. The cities used – Park City, Ogden, and Spanish Fork – are just hours away from the stunning views of the real Yellowstone National Park.
Other spots in Utah used for filming were found in Heber City, Oakley, Kamas, Grantsville, and Logan. A report from Deseret News revealed Yellowstone was the biggest production to ever come to Utah, providing jobs for roughly 250 people, and giving the state a huge tourism boost.
Throughout these early seasons, the only Yellowstone filming location to be based in Montana was the Dutton Ranch, which is actually a genuine, working ranch. However, it goes by the name Chief Joseph Ranch in the real world of Darby, Montana, and you can even book a stay in various lodgings around the ranch.
The whole production moved to Montana for season 4 and beyond, allowing the show to take advantage of a new initiative which offered a higher limit on tax breaks for those filming in the state. Not only did this benefit the project financially, but the shift to Montana helps to improve the authenticity of the show, too.
Is the Dutton Ranch real?
Chief Joseph Ranch is a fully-functioning ranch, with a family living and working there on a daily basis. The 5,000-square-foot log mansion John Dutton and his family live in is real, too, and you can book a tour of the house (but can’t stay there).
When the show isn’t filming, you can book a stay in Rip’s cabin, or Lee’s cabin, the one that Kayce, Monica, and Tate move into. If you were wanting a fleeting visit, however, you are welcome to take photos at the Dutton Ranch entrance, whenever the cameras aren’t rolling.
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Kevin Costner, the lead of the Yellowstone cast, has spoken previously about how the ranch was discovered and praised the way the setting becomes a character in its own right throughout the show. The owners of Chief Joseph Ranch never intended it to be used for filming, but say they are “humbled and honored” to be the home of Yellowstone.
Where is the Native American reservation?
One of the most fascinating locations in the show is the Broken Rock Reservation, and just like the main ranch, this is shot in a very authentic way. Yellowstone utilizes the Native American territory known as the Crow Indian Reservation, which is located just outside of Billings, Montana.
This land, which spans roughly 2 million acres, is so private and sacred that Taylor Sheridan had to request special permission from the tribal chairman, Alvin ‘Not Afraid’ Jr, to shoot scenes for Yellowstone there. Sheridan has spoken previously about the “guidance and advice” he received from the tribe’s leader when making the show on his land.
So, whenever you see Monica and Kayce living on the reservation, or Thomas Rainwater and Mo helping the native people, just know that you are witnessing a place of genuine cultural significance.
Where does Beth Dutton work?
Away from the more rustic and traditional locations in Montana, there is one Yellowstone filming location that stands apart as an ultra-modern, luxury setting, and that is Beth Dutton’s office in the Schwartz and Meyer building.
Only the best will do for Beth, and that’s why the interior scenes in her office are all shot in the State Capitol Building in Helena, Montana. However, the external shots of the office are all produced in Bozeman, Montana, where her office is canonically located.
Does Taylor Sheridan really own the 6666 ranch?
Not content with being one of the most prolific and most successful showrunners in the television industry right now, Taylor Sheridan is also the ninth largest landowner in all of Texas. That’s because he owns the 6666 ranch and has done so since early 2022.
Reports suggest Sheridan paid roughly $320 million for the 266,255 acres of land, which had previously been owned by the same family for over 150 years. Sheridan is smart, too, because he actually rents the property to Paramount to film scenes there for his own show – well, he’s got to make that money back somehow, right?
That’s all the Yellowstone filming locations sorted. You’ll be seeing a lot of Sheridan’s own personal ranch when the Yellowstone 6666 release date arrives, but more than anything, we are just counting down the days until Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 so we can see what’s going on down on the Dutton Ranch.