Shows in the Yellowstone franchise aren’t just set on ranches but filmed on them too — and some are owned by creator Taylor Sheridan.
After getting his start as an actor, Sheridan started writing scripts for movies and then moved on to the small screen with Yellowstone, which aired from 2018 to 2024. Sheridan expanded his TV universe with prequels 1883 and 1923 as well as the upcoming spinoffs The Dutton Ranch, The Madison and Y: Marshals.
Sheridan has also worked on original shows Landman, Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness and Tulsa King. This has allowed production to take place in various locations throughout the American West, including ranches. Cast members from Sheridan’s shows previously spoke exclusively to Us Weekly how joining the Yellowstone universe required participating in the show’s “cowboy camp.”
“It’s really helpful for learning to really become proficient on horses and use guns and the period piece weapons,” Brian Geraghty shared in 2022 before 1923’s premiere. “Then also it’s great for bonding for us as characters.”
Geraghty noted that training helped the actors become “more comfortable around each other,” adding, “[We] build each other up and become good. It’s beneficial for the actual skill set, but it’s also beneficial for the characters as how they relate to one another on the actual show.”
Michelle Randolph, for her part, said that she and her costars had “a lot of fun” at cowboy camp. “[There were] a lot of ice baths,” she quipped. “Group ice baths, and after, we were all very sore for a while.”
Darren Mann called the concept a “well-oiled machine.”
“Taylor puts together an amazing cast and crew,” he added. “Camaraderie on set was always so great.”
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of the various real-life ranches featured in the Yellowstone universe:
Chief Joseph Ranch
Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018, introduced viewers to the fictional Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. As the fictional universe grew, so did the amount of shows filmed at the ranch, which in real life is known as Chief Joseph Ranch.
The working cattle ranch in Montana has opened to guests after finding fame on Yellowstone.
Yellowstone Film Ranch
Certain scenes for Yellowstone‘s spinoff 1883 took place at Montana’s Yellowstone Film Ranch, which features a Western town with 26 structures.
Bosque Ranch
Sheridan owns several pieces of land, including Texas’ Bosque Ranch, which is a personal ranch that now hosts film and TV shoots, concerts and special events.
Papa’s Creek Ranch
Sheridan purchased Papa’s Creek Ranch in 2024, but it has not been used on screen. The Wyoming location was a personal acquisition for the prolific producer.
Four Sixes Ranch
In 2021, Sheridan purchased the legendary Four Sixes Ranch in Texas, which is more than 100 years old. It is set to serve as the backdrop for the now-delayed 6666 spinoff which will follow Jimmy Hurdstrom (Jefferson White) during his time working at the ranch.
“Founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666,” the official series description stated. “Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing. … The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world class cowboys are born and made.”
