Yellowstone: Where Was the TV Show Filmed?

of Yellowstone: Where Was the TV Show Filmed? Rishabh Borde
Updated August 1, 2022

Debuting in late 2018, Kevin Costner’s western drama show ‘Yellowstone’ has become a favorite for those of us who cannot resist the allure of the wild west. However, ‘Yellowstone’ brings the age-old western into the modern age, combining the adventure, initiative and breathtaking scenery of the frontier with a more modern-day setting.

The show focuses on the Dutton family and its patriarch John Dutton (played by two-time Academy Award winner Kevin Costner), who owns the largest contiguous ranch in the entire United States. In the new frontier, violence is the order of the day and might equals right. John is faced with the challenge of protecting his land from a number of threats, including land developers and a nearby Indian reservation.

Besides Kevin Costner, the main cast of ‘Yellowstone’ features ‘American Sniper’ actor Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton, former Navy SEAL and one of John’s sons; English actress Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton, John’s daughter and a highly educated financier suffering from a drug abuse problem; Wes Bentley as Jamie Button, a wannabe politician and one of John’s sons; Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler, ranch foreman at Yellowstone and John’s enforcer, and Kelsey Asbille as Monica Long Dutton, Kayce’s Native American wife and school teacher. If you were wondering where ‘Yellowstone’ was filmed, keep on reading.

Yellowstone Filming Locations

‘Yellowstone’ is a show known for its breathtaking scenery and depiction of a truly authentic looking modern day frontier. When watching the show one of the first questions that pops into the mind is where exactly is the show filmed? Since the best way to depict life in and around a ranch is to film inside one, that is exactly what the show does.

‘Yellowstone’ is filmed on location and on set in a variety of venues across Utah and Montana in the USA. While the majority of the exterior shoots are done in Montana, USA, the interior shots are filmed inside a studio in Utah. All in all, more than 20 locations across Utah and Montana are used for filming ‘Yellowstone’.

Actor Kevin Costner, who plays John Dutton on the show describes his experience shooting on location, “What we see onscreen — the mountains, valleys, horses, and more — isn’t Hollywood magic, it’s very real. You step outside and you see running horses and men working, and the weather dictates what you do”.

‘Yellowstone’ Key Art Photographer Emerson Miller posted these pictures of the cast in full getup:

Chief Joseph Ranch, Darby, Montana

John Dutton’s ranch in ‘Yellowstone’ is actually the magnificent Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana. The ranch, which is now well over a hundred years old, is located along the Bitterroot River and has a great view of the mountains as well.

If you wish to have a first-hand look at the ranch and get a taste of the Wild West yourself, you can book visits at the Chief Joseph Ranch on occasions when ‘Yellowstone isn’t filming on location.

Various Locations Across Montana

Certain scenes on Yellowstone are also filmed in locations across different areas in Montana. For example, all the courtroom scenes are filmed in Montana’s capital city, Helena, whereas the highway scene was filmed in the bucolic community of Divide in Montana. Actor Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler on the show, posted this picture on his Instagram account:

Utah Film Studio, Utah

Most of the interior scenes in ‘Yellowstone’ are filmed on set in the Utah Film Studio near Park City, Utah. The filming utilizes three soundstages, complete with fully recreated versions of some of the rooms in Chief Joseph Ranch and trees imported from Montana for consistency. Besides ‘Yellowstone’, Utah Film Studio is also one of the filming locations for several movies including ‘Hereditary’, ‘Wind River’ and ‘Damsel’.

Various Locations Across Utah

Besides the Utah Film studio, ‘Yellowstone’ also films on location across Utah. One of these locations is Salt Lake City, where the Salt Lake City Library masquerades as Montana State University on the show. Other filming locations in Utah include Summit, Weber and Wasatch. A fan posted these pictures of Kevin Costner filming for ‘Yellowstone in Utah:

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