In the first episode of the insanely popular series “Yellowstone,” Kevin Costner’s character John Dutton quips, “Leverage is knowing if someone had all the money in the world, this is what they’d buy.” When the camera soars over his family’s sprawling Yellowstone Ranch in Montana, it’s easy to see why.
“Yellowstone” has it all: intense family drama, political intrigue, and more knock-down drag-out fights per episode than you can shake a branding iron at. It’s that explosive mix that has fans waiting impatiently for another season to arrive (hopefully later this year!).
To say the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, with its white barns and big-sky vistas is stunning would be an understatement. And for those of us who appreciate beautiful houses, the show also has us hooked on the historic log home where the Dutton family lives.
It’s obvious they didn’t film this on a backlot somewhere or on a soundstage with green screens. This is the real deal. And so is the house where they film the show in Montana.
Not only that, but you can rent two of the guest cabins on the property that you’ve seen on TV. Read on to learn all about it!
The Dutton Family’s Yellowstone Ranch
At the heart of “Yellowstone” is the story of a family doing everything in their power to hold onto the ranch where generations of Duttons have lived and worked before them.
Kevin Costner plays the patriarch, John Dutton, who realizes he needs to prepare his children to take over eventually.
But which of them can he trust with the future of their family’s legacy — Jamie (played by Wes Bentley), Beth (Kelly Reilly), or Kayce (Luke Grimes)?
They film “Yellowstone” in Darby, Montana, at the historic Chief Joseph Ranch.
Darby is a small town of about 720 people, about 4 hours west of Bozeman.
The 2,500-acre property was located in the western part of lands inhabited by the Salish tribe for hundreds of years.
When Lewis and Clark entered the upper Bitterroot Valley in September 1805, they followed a trail used by the native tribes. The Nez Perce also annually traveled the trail south to reach the bison hunting grounds in the Big Hole Valley, often banding together with the Salish to counter threats from other tribes, notably the Blackfoot.
Chief Joseph led his people across the ranch in his flight from the U.S. Army during the Nez Perce War in the summer of 1877.
The property was homesteaded by settlers in 1880 and was originally known as the Shelton Ranch.
It was later sold to a glass tycoon from Ohio named William Ford.
He commissioned Bates & Gamble, an architectural firm in Toledo, to build his family’s summer home.
When Ford bought the ranch, it was an apple orchard:
Using both log and stone resources native to the grounds, William Ford began a three-year endeavor to build one of the great log structures of the American West: the Ford-Hollister Lodge. The family moved into the house in 1920.
Ford also built three massive barns as the centerpiece for his model dairy. He later replaced the apple trees with the largest herd of Holsteins west of the Mississippi. In the early 1920s, the dairy operation gave way to a Hereford herd.
In the 1950s, the Ford and Hollister Ranch was sold and renamed the Chief Joseph Ranch in honor of the great Nez Perce chief and his journey through the property.
(Note: I summarized the history above. Visit the Chief Joseph Ranch website for more details and to see old photos of the ranch!)
The Chief Joseph Ranch is currently owned by Shane Libel and his family, who says:
“We run the ranch as a guest ranch from June through August. We have horses and cows and we sell hay.
“The most surreal thing in the world is when you’re sitting in your own living room, watching a show that’s filmed in your house.”
(Can you imagine? Especially with some of the wild scenes on this show!)
When it comes to the historic log home they live in and where many of the “Yellowstone” scenes are shot, both inside and out, Libel says, “There’s always a balance between what we preserve historically and what we make functional for a modern family.”
“When we moved here we redid the kitchen, we redid the mudroom, we redid the great room, I could make a list a mile long of the things we improved.”
“Yellowstone” is a Paramount Network original series.
The kitchen doesn’t seem very big for a house of this size, but it has a lot of character with the log and stone walls, the plaid wallpaper, and the rows of hooks where they can hang their cowboy hats.
One of my favorite things about the kitchen is the large window over the sink that overlooks the property:
There are four bedrooms and two bathrooms on the second floor.
John Dutton’s Bedroom:
The cozy sitting area off John’s bedroom features another stone fireplace:
Beth Dutton’s Bedroom:
Beth, who is kind of terrifying (John Dutton says she even “walks mad”), is played by British actress Kelly Reilly.
In a flashback to 1996 we see her bathroom with pink paneled walls and a freestanding tub:
The Study
Set Decorator Carla Curry says they added the striped curtains throughout the house for the show.
One of my readers shared her family’s personal connection to the ranch:
“My mother grew up on that ranch. Her parents came over from Norway and her father, Ragnvald Storm, was one of the managers of the Ford Ranch.
“I remember a lot of stories of keeping the fireplace wood stocked for the walk-in fireplaces, watching all the parties from the catwalk above the great room, playing in the barns, etc. We have a very long history with that ranch/lodge. Even my grandmother’s sister, from Norway, was the cook there.
“The house is way up on a hill and it requires quite a hike (or ATV or horse) to get down around the road to the barns.
“My husband and I have visited several times and stayed in the main lodge. It’s amazing to see it all on TV, but it’s even more incredible in person.
She also mentions the dining room, saying, “I think the current owners have remodeled the dining room because the last time we were there, it was all glass windows (where my mother once found a rattlesnake curled up in the corner in the sun!). Unless those dining room scenes are filmed on a set, it’s certainly changed.”
This makes me wonder if they repurposed another room for the show, turning it into the dining room. If anyone has the scoop, let me know!
In 1993 Barbara Lloyd wrote about the ranch and its history for the New York Times:
Melvin Pervais, a 53-year-old Chippewa Indian, bought the 1,400-acre Chief Joseph Ranch in 1987. A self-made multimillionaire who grew up on the Ojibwa Reservation along the Canadian shore of Lake Superior, Mr. Pervais left the reservation when he was 16 and later made his fortune setting up control systems for nuclear power plants.
When Melvin Pervais bought the Chief Joseph Ranch in the 1980s, it was in serious disrepair:
“It was weed infested, no fences, barns falling apart,” Mr. Pervais said. But the ranch had a beguiling history, and its main log house, which Mr. Pervais refers to as the lodge, had retained its ornate beauty.
The NYT story reported that “Some of the logs in the lodge are 60 feet long and nearly 2 feet in diameter. A ridge timber, which runs the length of the roof line, is 120 feet long.” The trees were at least 200 years old.
The wood for the house was harvested from trees nearby. They let them dry out for a year in order to help preserve the bark.
This was a time-consuming and expensive process that would rarely (if ever) be replicated today. The bark was left on the outside of the house but removed from interior logs.
You can rent two of the cabins on the Chief Joseph Ranch.
They offer Lee Dutton’s and Rip Wheeler’s cabins for short-term stays.
Here’s how Lee’s Cabin appeared in Season 2 (below):
The Fisherman Cabin (Lee’s home) overlooks the Bitterroot River, providing 360-degree views of the Bitterroot Mountains and the Sapphire Mountains. Built in 1916, the cabin served as housing for the lodge’s domestic staff. $1,200 a night for up to 4 guests.
Rip’s cabin (which was later Kayce’s on the show) starts at $1,500 per night.
A tour of the ranch and the set locations is included. This would be my kind of vacation!
“Yellowstone” films on location at the main lodge, the barns, the trapper’s cabin, and the bunkhouse (shown below):
Chief Joseph Ranch owner Shane Libel says they leave the “Yellowstone Dutton Ranch” sign up at the entrance to the ranch year-round, even when they’re not filming, and get “hundreds of people” coming out to take photos of it. (I bet!)
I took these screenshots while streaming the show and watching the behind-the-scenes video provided by Paramount.
You can stream the first three seasons of “Yellowstone” on Peaco*ck, but you’ll have to subscribe to Paramount Plus to stream the fourth. They’re reportedly going to start filming the fifth season later this year.
And then there’s the “Yellowstone” prequel, billed as the Dutton family’s origin story, called “1883” that you can only watch on Paramount Plus at the moment.
It stars real-life couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill as John Dutton’s ancestors, James and Margaret Dutton.
For more information about “Yellowstone” and the ranch where it’s filmed:
Are you a “Yellowstone” fan, counting the months until the next season arrives?
If you haven’t tuned in yet, sensitive viewers should know that it can be pretty violent at times. I’m often watching through my fingers, waiting for the fight scenes to be over because I’m such a wimp about that stuff. But the family drama and the gorgeous setting are compelling enough to keep me watching!
Check out my to see more faves I’ve featured,
like the house from “Knives Out” (shown below) and more!
Harlan Thrombey’s Mansion in “Knives Out”
Inside the Real House from “Golden Girls”
Inside the Real Victorian from “Full House”
The Haunted House in the CBS Sitcom “Ghosts” (and from the BBC version!)
The Big Southern House in “Forrest Gump”
The Stunning “Stepmom” Movie House
Are you hooked on houses? More to tour:
Kat Von D Selling “Cheaper by the Dozen” House and It Has a New Look
The Haunted House in the Sitcom “Ghosts”
The Caldwell Family’s House in the Christmas Movie “Happiest Season”
Nicole Kidman’s Beach House in “The Undoing” on HBO
Forget Candy: Bid on This Haunted Castle in New York for Halloween
The series follows the Dutton family, owners of the largest ranch in Montana, the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, commonly called "the Yellowstone". The plot revolves around family drama at the ranch and the bordering Broken Rock Indian Reservation, Yellowstone National Park, and developers.
These days, the The Yellowstone cast spends most of their time in Montana to film on a real-life ranch in the state where the show is meant to take place. The Dutton family's gorgeous log cabin is actually a 5,000-square foot mansion located on Chief Joseph Ranch near Darby, Montana.
The Chief Joseph Ranch, a historic working cattle ranch in western Montana, has been owned and operated by rancher Shane Libel and his family since 2012.
Believe it or not, the stunning scenery portrayed as the Dutton family ranch is the real-life Chief Joseph Ranch. That's right! Yellowstone is filmed at the Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana. Read on for everything you need to know about the Chief Joseph Ranch, including how you can spend a night.
If you spend the night at the ranch, you won't be confined to your cabin. Each reservation includes a tour of the ranch and all the filming locations on the property. You can also do some fishing, as the ranch has more than a mile of direct access to the Bitterroot River.
The cost of staying at the ranch is costly. You'll spend $1200 per night for Lee's cabin or $1500 for Rip's. You can have up to four guests to split the cost with you, but there is a minimum stay of three nights. So the least you'll spend on lodging is $3600 or $900 per guest if you split it four ways.
Are the Duttons a real family? The answer is no. However, while the Duttons aren't based on a specific family, Horsey Hooves reported that the family's patriarch, John Dutton, could be inspired by famous rangers like W.T. Waggoner and Bill Galt.
Costner, 68, purchased the land in 2000 before transforming into a picturesque paradise. He currently plays the owner of a ranch, John Dutton, in the acclaimed anti-woke Western series, Yellowstone.
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Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is the largest ranch in the United States located in the Paradise Valley in Park County, Montana, east of Bozeman and west of Livingston. The ranch is owned by John Dutton.
No, Yellowstone is not based on any real events or people that exist in real life. However, the creator of the show explained that the issues that are explored in the show are inspired by problems that exist in western mountain states in the US.
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Forrie J. Smith plays ranch hand Lloyd Pierce. Forrie is a real-life cowboy and stuntman who began competing in the rodeo at age 8. And like his character, the actor doesn't mince words.
In the Duttons' case, they protect their way of life and ranch through the easem*nt, and keep their property whole, as John intends. The family can continue to live there, and the land can be sold or passed on to heirs.
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The popularity of the hit neo-western drama series Yellowstone (2018- ) is mainly down to its authentic portrayal of the ranching lifestyle. The cowboys of Yellowstone are as rugged and hardy as their real-life counterparts, all thanks to show creator Taylor Sheridan's extensive background in ranching.
The ranch property was homesteaded by settlers in 1880 and water rights were registered in 1884, originally known as the Shelton Ranch. In 1914, the 2,500 acre ranch was purchased by the glass tycoon, William S.Ford and federal judge Howard Clark Hollister from Ohio.
Along with his wife, Margaret, their children, Elsa and John, James's sister Claire, and Claire's daughter Mary Abel, James set out with a wagon train from Fort Worth, Texas, but the journey was dogged by tragedy.
Speaking with Extra, the Field of Dreams star was asked if his wife and kids are invested in Yellowstone. “It's too naughty for them to see and they probably do figure out how to see it,” he told the outlet. “But it's got some nasty little bits that are good fun for everybody else.”
In May 2023, Paramount announced that season 5 will be Yellowstone's final season and set a premiere date for November. However, a sequel series is slated to air the following month. Keep reading to find out more about Yellowstone season 5.
Thanks to a deal made before “Yellowstone” turned out to be an enormous hit, and before Paramount Plus was up and running, “Yellowstone” instead calls Peaco*ck its exclusive streaming home. Peaco*ck is the NBCUniversal streaming service.
In real life, the Derby, Montana property is the Chief Joseph Ranch, and a couple of the cabins are available to rent. Visitors can choose between the Ben Cook Cabin, which many viewers will recognize as Rip's refuge in the first season, and The Fisherman's Cabin, which Lee Dutton occupied during season one.
The Chief Joseph Ranch, a historic working cattle ranch in western Montana, has been owned and operated by rancher Shane Libel and his family since 2012.
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These spectacular Montana ranches are owned by some of the wealthiest people in the world. In the TV show Yellowstone, the Dutton family owns Yellowstone Dutton Ranch of Montana, the largest ranch in America. However, in real life, King Ranch in Texas is actually the largest ranch in America. What is this?
1. EMMERSON FAMILY. The nation's largest private landowners, California's Emmerson family, are a prime example of this trend. Through their Sierra Pacific Industries, the Emmersons increased their landholdings by more than 100 square miles to over 2.4 million acres.
John Dutton, patriarch of the family, is the seventh generation owner, just like his father before him. John is a widow, his wife, Evelyn Dutton died in a horse riding accident in the late 90's, who he still grieves heavily over.
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Kevin Costner may not be willing to give up his Yellowstone ranch in Montana, but he is saying welcome to his real-life ranch in Colorado. The recent Golden Globe winner has put his 160-acre (64.8ha) Aspen estate up for rent for a jaw-dropping $36,000 (AU$52,400) per night, The Post reports.
Chief Joseph Ranch is owned by Shane Libel and his family. When not used for filming, the Libel family lives in the ranch's iconic lodge. The ranch has a long history, and it has grown to become one of the most iconic ranches in America.
Traditionally offering accommodations in two log homes during the summer months the ranch is currently closed for filming of the Paramount television series, Yellowstone. We cannot take inquiries, reservation, or conduct tours at this time.
Are the Duttons a real family? The answer is no. However, while the Duttons aren't based on a specific family, Horsey Hooves reported that the family's patriarch, John Dutton, could be inspired by famous rangers like W.T. Waggoner and Bill Galt.
The neo-Western series Yellowstone wouldn't be where it is right now without the real-life cowboys on set. Because it's the authentic portrayal of cowboys and the ranching life that gives life to its grippingly dramatic – and bloody – narrative about family, land, and power.
In real life, the Derby, Montana property is the Chief Joseph Ranch, and a couple of the cabins are available to rent. Visitors can choose between the Ben Cook Cabin, which many viewers will recognize as Rip's refuge in the first season, and The Fisherman's Cabin, which Lee Dutton occupied during season one.
Dutton Ranch isn't one place (although there is a home office on Graton Road where the Shop Block vineyard is), but a collection of over 60 non-contiguous parcels in Russian River Valley that comprise approximately 1,300 acres of land that they either own, lease or manage.
Introduction: My name is Van Hayes, I am a thankful, friendly, smiling, calm, powerful, fine, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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