‘Yellowstone’: Did you know John Dutton's ranch is real? Here's where it is located and how you can live there
Paramount Network's ‘Yellowstone’, starring Kevin Costner as John Dutton, is all set to be back for a stellar season three. Packed with strife on the ranch, politics and family drama, the series boasts of hard-hitting dialogues and gripping scenes from the Dutton Ranch. And if the performances were not enough to catch your eye, the stunning landscapes and cinematography will blow your mind.
Moving through tall trees, lush fields and fallen dried yellow leaves, the camera pans through the setup which brings a modern Western feel. The visual appeal stands out and makes one wonder: Where were the picturesque scenes shot? Located in Montana, the Dutton family ranch borders Yellowstone National Park and is dubbed as "the largest ranch in the US" on the show.
But, where was the show actually filmed? The first couple of seasons were shot in over 20 locations around Utah and Montana, of which some of the frequent spots were situated in Salt Lake City, Summit, Weber and Wasatch. The cast feels the ranch is the "central character on the show" and Costner said the production shoots it like a movie rather than a TV show. Most of the interior scenes are shot on the sound stages at the Utah Film Studios in Park City, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Did you know that the ranch is real? Hidden away in Darby, Montana, the mansion is called Chief Joseph Ranch. Named after Chief Joseph, the ranch has been inspired by the man who led his people across the ranch in his flight from the US Army during the Nez Perce War in the summer of 1877, according to the property’s website. Called a historic landmark in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley, the website says it is currently "utilized as the quintessential western backdrop for a world-class film crew".
There is a deep history associated with the place. In 1914, the 2,500-acre ranch was purchased by glass tycoon William S Ford and Federal Judge Howard Clark Hollister when it was "a thriving apple orchard." They began a three-year endeavor to build one of "the great log structures of the American West - the Ford-Hollister Lodge." The 6,000 square foot lodge has three massive barns for his dairy dream. After Ford's death, his wife May Ford and daughters Phyllis and Billie Ann run one of the first guest ranches in the West with the help of ranch manager, Ben Cook.
In the early 1950s, the Ford and Hollister Ranch was sold and renamed the Chief Joseph Ranch and has "become a character in its own right, representing an iconic 102-year-old western Montana home." Want to live like John Dutton in the same ranch? Well, you can try your luck as the Montana ranch doubles as a guest ranch and a family home in between filming. Pack your bags and head out for the perfect Montana getaway with Trapper Peak framing your sunsets and the Bitterroot River Valley at your doorstep.