‘Yellowstone’ ranch size, explained

Hailed in-universe as the largest ranch in America, the Dutton Ranch in Yellowstone consists of many dreamy meadows, gorgeous mountain views, and incredible facilities. But exactly how large is it? And does the real-life ranch the show is filmed at stack up against its fictitious counterpart?

Taylor Sheridan’s incredible neo-western universe, explored in Yellowstone as well as 1883 and 1923, revolves mainly around the Dutton family and their infamous ranch. The property is the centerpiece of the so-called Sheridan-verse, and with good reason too. Beautiful vistas, incredible barns, outstanding facilities, and its gigantic size are all just a few traits that make Yellowstone a dream for any ranch-lovers out there. 

In this fictional world, the Dutton Ranch is located at Paradise Valley in Park County, Montana, and borders the Broken Rock Reservation and Yellowstone National Park. The ranch has been in the Dutton family for generations, but it’s constantly threatened by various parties wanting to steal the land from under them. But how big is this contentious land?

How big is the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch?

The Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is described in the show by John Dutton as “a ranch the size of Rhode Island,” which is approximately 776,900 acres. However, the ranch’s size has significantly changed over the years, with Jamie Dutton noting in the first season of Yellowstone that the Dutton Ranch has become much larger since he first took over as the family’s lawyer.

The Dutton Ranch’s mind-numbing estimated size makes it comparable to America’s largest ranch. With 825,000 acres of land, the King Ranch in Texas is the largest in the United States, and houses 35,000 cattle and over 200 Quarter Horses, so it’s safe to say that the Yellowstone Ranch boasts similar numbers.

The lavish dwelling place of the Duttons consists of a lodge, various cabins, barns, a bunkhouse, and a dozen pastures for the livestock. The main lodge, where John Dutton lives, is nearly 6,000 square feet with a beautiful wooden design.

How big is Yellowstone Dutton Ranch in real life?

Yellowstone is filmed at the real-life ranch known as Chief Joseph Ranch. It’s located in Darby, Montana, in Ravalli County, and is owned by Shane Libel and his family. Unlike its fictional counterpart, the Chief Joseph Ranch is much smaller, coming at around 2,500 acres. The Libel family lives in the ranch when the show is not being filmed.

Additionally, fans of Yellowstone can also visit and stay at the ranch on vacation, since it offers two rental cabins, The Ben Cook Cabin (Rip’s place) and The Fisherman Cabin.