Discover Where “Yellowstone” Is Filmed: Best Time to Visit, Wildlife, and More!

Written by Megan Martin
Updated: August 20, 2023
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If you’re a fan of the vast genre of Western films and shows, there’s no doubt that you’re at least familiar with Paramount’s Yellowstone. With the show in its fourth season, it experienced a major relocation. However, this isn’t the first change in scenery the show has experienced, and several Yellowstone filming locations exist.

Keep reading below to learn more about all the locations where they film Yellowstone!

Where Was Yellowstone Filmed?

Within its many seasons, the backdrop of Yellowstone has been cast as a variety of different American landscapes. Several states have been fortunate enough to call this fan-favorite show home.

Yellowstone was filmed in Utah, Montana, and Texas. Are you interested in learning more about the behind-the-scenes cities that have hosted the cast and producers since the show’s pilot in 2018? Let’s learn about the various Yellowstone filming locations!

Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest

The TV show

Yellowstone

films in several states, including Utah, Montana, and Texas.

©Emily Kerns/Shutterstock.com

Utah: A Major Yellowstone Filming Location

Much of the initial three seasons of Yellowstone can be traced back to Utah. In fact, over twenty different locations were featured on the show, all set within the Beehive State. However, while the desert landscape of Utah served as the site for many important scenes in this hit show, few locations are as engraved into the minds of watchers as Ogden and Spanish Fork.

Ogden

Ogden is a ski town known for its mountains. However, during the summer, it offers a plethora of outdoor activities, from hiking to biking, with a reduced crowd. Like many western cities bordering the Rocky Mountains, the backdrop to Ogden is beautiful, with large mountains setting the scene for this little town. In Yellowstone, Ogden is home to the Schwartz & Meyer bank, which is found at 2505 Lincoln Avenue.

This location can be a great place to visit no matter the time of the year, although it’s best to know what activities you’re interested in before planning your trip. With the mountains only a short distance away, amazing animals like cougars and mountain goats share the surrounding areas with the human inhabitants. 

Aerial view from a drone of Washington Blvd and the commercial district of North Ogden, Utah with Ben Lomond Peak and the Wasatch Mountains visible in the background

Ogden, a popular Utah ski town, was one of the spots where they filmed

Yellowstone

.

©Guy In Utah/Shutterstock.com

Spanish Fork

If you’re looking to step away from the more urban scenes of Yellowstone, then you’ll find that Spanish Forks, about an hour south of Ogden, is the place to go. This town is home to the Utah County Fair. Its fairground served as the setting for the rodeo scenes of the show. Like with Ogden, any time of year can be a great time to visit this town. However, the spring months are best if you’re looking for more pleasant temperatures and a bit more moisture. Summer is more popular but also more crowded with less pleasant temperatures. 

Spanish Fork is home to various species. This includes armadillos, coyotes, and many different species of snakes.

Where Is Ogden Located on a Map?

Ogden is not far north of Salt Lake City and sits beside the famous Great Salt Lake. It is the gateway city to a number of ski resorts. It is also home to the Eccles Dinosaur Park and Paleontology Lab. Use the map to find Spanish Fork south of Salt Lake City and Provo.

Montana: Yellowstone Filming Location for Season 4 and Beyond

In its most recent season, Montana has been the setting for many of the most ground-breaking moments in the show. Although the heart of the show is now centered in Missoula, you’ll find that many of the scenes and moments to occur following 2020 are actually situated across the state. 

Most of the locations in Montana are fairly close together, with only an hour or so separating them. As a result, it’s not unreasonable to plan a trip and expect to see many of the key settings in a day or so. The best time to visit is during the spring or fall. The weather can be extreme in this western state during the summer or winter.

During your time in Montana, you may also be able to see some of the various interesting animals that call this state home. This includes bobcats, grizzly bears, and pronghorns

Missoula

Missoula is the heart of the show during its time in Montana. Are you looking to see where some of the most iconic shoot-outs in the show occurred? Take a stroll to Ryman Street and Ruby’s Café, two unforgettable locations. You can also see Missoula Community Medical Center, where many pivotal and heart-wrenching moments happened during Yellowstone.

Lake, Montana - Western USA, Horizontal, Mountain, Mountain Range

Montana is one of the most common

Yellowstone

filming locations in season four.

©iStock.com/wayneharney

Chief Joseph Ranch

The soul of the show, Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, also has a real location that can be seen in Montana. The setting for Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is Chief Joseph Ranch, a family-owned working ranch. 

If you’re willing to pay for the experience, you may spend the night in the area in many of the character’s lodges and cabins once it opens for reservations.

Hamilton

Hamilton is about an hour south of Missoula and is also the setting for many important associations and scenes in Yellowstone. A thrilling and fatal car chase scene occurs on Meridian Road and Bear Creek Road in the surrounding area, and the city is also home to the show’s Montana Livestock Association building. 

Helena

If you’ve watched the show throughout the most recent episodes, you may have noticed that some Yellowstone storylines focus on the governor’s office. These scenes are actually filmed at the Montana State Capital, which is in Helena, Montana. 

If you’re unable to visit Montana in person, fans of the show can actually experience virtual tours of the building. 

Crow Indian Reservation

In the show, one of the characters lives on the fictional Broken Rock Indian Reservation. Although this is a fictional location and tribe, it is filmed on a real Montana reservation, the Crow Indian Reservation.

If you want to immerse yourself in the culture and festivities on the reservation, summer is the best time to visit. The nation manages a herd of 300 bison!

Where Is Missoula Located on a Map?

See if you can use the map below to find the other places near Missoula where Yellowstone was filmed: Chief Joseph Ranch, Hamilton, Helena (the state capital), and the Crow Indian Reservation.

Texas: Brief Yellowstone Filming Location

Yellowstone doesn’t spend a long time in Texas. However, during a pivotal plot twist, some of the most important scenes are shot in one location in Texas: Guthrie. 

Guthrie

Guthrie is home to the 6666 Ranch (the Four Sixes Ranch). This is a historic location founded in the late 19th century. The 6666 Supply House, which has been in the same location since 1900, is open to the public and can be visited any time during the year during their operational hours. 

This ranch is home to horses and Angus cattle. While in Texas, you may also see common species like alligators and peccaries

Welcome to Texas sign on an open road

Texas was briefly used as a

Yellowstone

filming location.

©Nick Fox/Shutterstock.com

Where Is Guthrie Located on a Map?

Guthrie is far from everything, partly because the 6666 Ranch is so large it cuts a big chunk out of the area. The nearest major city is Lubbock, a town of about 250,000 people and home to Texas Tech University with its medical and law schools.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Guy In Utah/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Megan is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is birds, felines, and sharks. She has been researching and writing about animals for four years, and she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with minors in biology and professional and technical writing from Wingate University, which she earned in 2022. A resident of North Carolina, Megan is an avid birdwatcher that enjoys spending time with her cats and exploring local zoological parks with her husband.

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