Nearly five hours west of the national park of the same name sits the Yellowstone ranch. In real life, the working cattle ranch in Montana is known as the Chief Joseph Ranch, and it was featured in the pages of AD back in 1994. On Paramount’s hit Western drama, created by Taylor Sheridan, which returned November 10 for the conclusion of its fifth and final season, it’s the Dutton Ranch—and the epicenter of the action. Longtime star Kevin Costner has departed the show, but other members of the Dutton family are back onscreen, with episodes airing on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Paramount Network until the series finale on December 15.
“This lodge has actually become a character in our show,” set decorator Carla Curry has said, adding that the sprawling estate is really “what makes this show sing.” Owned and operated by rancher Shane Libel and his family since 2012, the land has been occupied since the late 1880s, but it was Yellowstone that thrust the ranch into the limelight. “The most surreal thing in the world—and the most humbling thing in the world,” Libel said, “is when you’re sitting in your own living room watching a show that’s filmed in your house.”
Where is Yellowstone filmed?
Chief Joseph Ranch is the home of Yellowstone’s Dutton Ranch. The property is located in the town of Darby, which is at the southern end of Bitterroot Valley and more than 200 miles west of Bozeman, one of the series’s primary settings.
When was Chief Joseph Ranch built?
Originally known as the Shelton Ranch, the property was homesteaded by settlers in 1880, according to the ranch’s website. In 1914, it was purchased by glass tycoon William S. Ford and federal judge Howard Clark Hollister and named the Ford-Hollister Ranch.
Its iconic lodge, designed by an architectural firm from Toledo, Ohio, was built in 1917. “The main timber that is up in the roof is 153 feet long, and it is actually one single tree,” explained Yellowstone set decorator Curry. “They were so protective of the logs that when they harvested the logs they actually wrapped them in burlap until they were ready to put them in place just so that they would keep them from getting nicked and damaged.”
In the 1950s, the Ford-Hollister Ranch was sold and renamed Chief Joseph Ranch. Its current namesake honors the New Percé chief who may have crossed the land with his tribe more than a century ago.
How was Chief Joseph ranch picked to be the home of Yellowstone?
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The ranch received a cold call. The property was not listed as a film location, according to its website, but after members of the production team—including cocreator Taylor Sheridan—came to visit, the deal was sealed. “[Sheridan] looked around and said, ‘That’s the bunkhouse right there,’” Libel said in a 2022 interview with TV Insider. “He started walking around and calling out scenes as he saw them. ‘Episode 1, Act 3 here!’ And an assistant was writing everything down. The location director looked at me and said, ‘I think you have it.’”
Can you stay at Chief Joseph Ranch?
Yes; however, the ranch is not currently taking reservations for 2024 and 2025. The ranch’s website states that they offer two cabins for guests: the Ben Cook Cabin, which belonged to the characters of Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) in season one and Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) in season two, and the Fisherman Cabin, which belonged to Lee Dutton (Dave Annable) in seasons one and two. Both cabins sleep up to eight people and have a full kitchen and grill.
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The ranch requires a three-night minimum stay, though guests can book longer rental times. Though rates are subject to change, the Ben Cook Cabin goes for $1,700 per night for four guests (with a $50 per-person fee for each additional guest). The Fisherman Cabin rents for $1,400 per night for four guests (with a $50 per-person fee for each additional guest).
Has Chief Joseph Ranch been renovated?
After the Libel family purchased Chief Joseph Ranch, a few changes were made to the property; however, Libel said it was important the space’s integrity remains intact. “When we moved here, we redid the kitchen, we redid the mudroom, we redid the great room,” he said. “I can make a list a mile long of the things we improved, but we have a responsibility. I mean, we live here, we own this, but we really don’t ‘own’ it because we’re just here until the next person.”
