Is the Dutton Ranch on Yellowstone real? The location behind the hit thriller series, explored 

When it comes to visually stunning backdrops, no show has hacked it like the Yellowstone franchise. The vast and dense forests, the pasturelands, and the visually stunning rivers that flow in the mountainous backdrop. The authenticity that the Dutton Ranch gives to the franchise could never be attained in a studio, leading many to believe that the ranch in the franchise is real.

Well, if you thought that the Dutton Ranch was real, you are right. You will be shocked to learn that it is a real place that every fan of the franchise can visit to get into their cowboy era. The Dutton Ranch that we see on Yellowstone, with the white barns and the big Y, is situated a few hours away from the national park and is called the Chief Joseph Ranch.

Chief Joseph Ranch, situated in Montana's Bitterroot Valley, approximately five hours away from Yellowstone National Park, is a real-life working ranch that works equally as a guest ranch where one can visit to find their Montana cowboy self. Keep reading to find out how the iconic Chief Joseph Ranch came to be featured as the Dutton Ranch.

The Dutton Ranch in Yellowstone is real, and you can visit, if you wish to

In the franchise's universe, the Dutton Ranch is situated in Paradise Valley and borders the first American national park. However, in real life, the Chief Joseph Ranch is situated in the Bitterroot Valley, several hours west of Paradise Valley.

When the Yellowstone franchise started, it was primarily shot in Utah and not Montana, and it wasn't until the fourth season that production moved to Montana. The Dutton Ranch from the first season, however, was always set in Chief Joseph Ranch. It was a cold call from the production to the Chief Joseph Ranch for an inquiry related to filming that led to the iconic Y on the Dutton Ranch.

The Chief Joseph Ranch, a 2,500-acre cattle ranch, is named after Nez Perce leader Hinmatóowyalahtq̓it, known as Chief Joseph. He led his people through very difficult times and a war, and they followed him to the ranch.

The property was later bought by William S. Ford and Howard Clark Hollister in 1914. It stayed in their ownership until 2012, when Shane Libel and his family purchased it and moved in, which is why anybody visiting the property for the Yellowstone experience will have to suffice with all the other locations on the show except the Dutton Ranch.

The Chief Joseph Ranch is a Montana landmark and historical treasure, and the Libel family has completely adopted the Yellowstone fame, leaving the Dutton Ranch sign on year-round. They've even renamed some of the cabins as the Lee Dutton Cabin or the Rip Wheeler Cabin, based on the Yellowstone characters, and all fans who stop by to get their pictures clicked in front of the Dutton Ranch sign, or just to get a glimpse at a Y-branded cowboy horse-riding through the grounds, are welcomed.

Even though the possibility is less, you might just get lucky if you visit during filming season.

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