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You Can Rent a Cabin on the Actual Ranch Where 'Yellowstone' Is Filmed


"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below."

  • Yellowstone, starring Kevin Costner as John Dutton, just wrapped season 3 on Paramount Network.

  • The show centers on the Dutton family ranch, the largest ranch in the U.S.

  • Kelly Reilly, who plays Beth Dutton, considers the ranch to be "the most central character" on the popular cable show.


When watching Yellowstone, there's a lot that'll catch your eye. The Paramount Network series is full of drama, romance, horseback riding, shootouts, and well, Kevin Costner. And when you put the ongoing conflict, family strife, and complicated romance aside, the setting of the show — the Dutton family ranch — tells a story in itself. On the show, the ranch, which is located in Montana and borders Yellowstone National Park (hence the show's name), is described as "the largest ranch in the U.S."

But, where is Yellowstone actually filmed?

The first three seasons of the show were filmed in more than 20 locations around Utah and Montana, primarily in Salt Lake City, Summit, Weber, and Wasatch. The production, which Costner claims is shot like a movie rather than a TV show, uses three different sound stages at the Utah Film Studio in Park City for most of the interior scenes, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

But season 4 marks new beginnings for Yellowstone: The Salt Lake Tribune announced that they'll film the show exclusively on location in Montana.

Where Is Yellowstone Filmed
Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler on the ranch. Paramount

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," Costner told Vanity Fair. For Costner and the rest of the Yellowstone cast, the breathtaking backdrop was a huge draw to be a part of the show. "I don't think we ever tire of seeing running rivers, valleys, and mountains. If you can set a drama against all that, it's fun," Costner said in an interview on CBS This Morning.

For the show's creator Taylor Sheridan, the scenery isn't a bonus; it's a necessity. "Taylor is a huge fan of authenticity and he wanted us to all really understand what we were getting into," Luke Grimes, who plays Kayce Dutton, told Vanity Fair. "It's great to be able to show this to people who normally wouldn't understand that this is still a way of life for a lot of people."

Where Is Yellowstone Filmed
The Dutton family having dinner in their home. Paramount

That would explain why an actual ranch is also used in production — it just goes by a different name in real life. The Dutton family's house — ya know, the massive log cabin — is a real 5,000-square foot mansion located on Chief Joseph Ranch near Darby, Montana. It was built in 1917 as a summer house for glass tycoon William Ford and his family. Shane and Angela Libel currently live on the ranch with their family except for the months when Yellowstone is filming.

"The studio wanted to have [the home's] location in Utah, where most of the filming was done. There was a war-room meeting: Do we go up to this ranch or do we Scotch-tape locations together? Find a ranch. Find a mountain. Once we all got to Montana, there was no hesitation. It was so obvious," the show's location manager Mark Jarrett told the New York Post.

From March through December, you can even rent two of the smaller long cabins on the property — The Ben Cook Cabin (Rip's cabin in season 1 and Kayce's cabin in season 2) and the Fisherman's Cabin (Lee's cabin in season 1 and 2). Each cabin sleeps up to eight guests and has a full kitchen, so you can cook your own meals on-site. The rest is up to you: Fill your day with fishing, horseback riding, or hiking through the neighboring mountains — you really can't go wrong.

If you can't secure a reservation (they're already booked through 2020!), you're more than welcome to stop by the Dutton Ranch sign at the entrance to take photos. Just be mindful of when you visit: "During filming there will be security at the gates. The Security company will not allow photos at that time due to the need to keep the drive open for cast and crew," says their website.

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