Introduction

Yellowstone is an adrenaline fueled drama focusing on the high powered and frankly chaotic family – the Duttons. This fictional family owns the largest ranch in Montana and viewers follow along as this hard nosed group struggle to maintain their status and power by any means necessary. This show really captures audiences with a constant flow of emotional scenes and dialogue, but if you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to draw your attention away from the stunning scenery. The cinematography of Yellowstone does an amazing job of highlighting the rugged beauty of Montana and has inspired me to plan a Sparked Travel road trip through America’s big sky country connecting travelers to the show itself and to Montana’s great wilderness! This travel itinerary has all the makings of a legendary road trip highlighting Montana’s breathtaking nature and its hardy towns all while connecting you to your inner Yellowstone wrangler. 

Yellowstone National Park

The Dutton family ranch and America’s first National Park share the iconic name but it’s a bit foggy to viewers on the connection. With that being said, I think it would be wrong to leave off such a crucial site to the region. Founded in 1872 (eight years before the Yellowstone Ranch was homesteaded), Yellowstone National Park is nothing short of extraordinary sitting on a volcanic hotspot teeming with energy and life. Although the park recently experienced some major flooding impacting a large portion of the park, many of the great sites are still accessible. Another great aspect to our first leg of the trip is that the park is very driver friendly with many of the major park features accessible by car. 

Yellowstone National Park has multiple entrances (North and Northeast are closed) each providing a unique experience and access to famed attractions. So it really depends on where travelers are coming from, but if you have the opportunity I would suggest entering Yellowstone from the south entrance making your way through the park and then exiting via the west entrance. This makes the most sense logistically so travelers can continually press north into Montana for the rest of the journey, plus you will get to drive the scenic John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway. On this drive through Yellowstone National Park, I suggest adding West Thumb, Old Faithful, and the Grand Prismatic Spring. The West Thumb provides views of Yellowstone Lake and has its own set of hot springs and geysers. Meanwhile, the Upper Geyser Basin is home to Old Faithful and many other active sites. The area surrounding Old Faithful can become quite crowded with visitors but the basin is a nice spot to stroll through and examine these extraterrestrial-like sites. The Grand Prismatic Spring which is the third largest hot spring in the world will surely leave you in awe with its rainbow like colors. You will surely begin to wonder whether or not this is planet Earth.

Darby 

Once travelers make their way through Yellowstone National park they have the option of spending some time in the small town of West Yellowstone to grab a bite to eat or even stay the night at one of the many accommodations here. Then, travelers will make the four and half hour drive to our next Yellowstone location in Darby, Montana. This is where travelers will find the actual Dutton Family ranch. The ranch in real life goes by Chief Joseph Ranch and is as extravagant and rugged as the one in the Yellowstone series. It is in fact a real working ranch with day to day operations so they don’t accept visitors but if you are lucky enough to secure a reservation they do rent out some of the guest houses when they aren’t used for filming scenes. Darby also sits on the border of the Bitterroot National Forest which is used by the show to film one of its many scenes capturing the beauty of Montana. 

I don’t think we would be connecting to the show unless we really explored more of Montana’s rugged wilderness so that’s why I think it’s important to include some hikes near Darby. Bitterroot National Forest has its very own Lake Como (not to be confused with the one in Italy). The Lake Como Loop Trail is about eight miles but it’s a very smooth walk on a well paved trail around the lake. Along the trail, you will have breathtaking views of Montana’s lake Como and for additional photo-ops, there is a waterfall on the west end. If you want something a little more challenging try the Little Rock Creek Trail which is a little over eight miles as well but with more rugged terrain. Here, you will find picturesque mountain vistas, flowing waters, and dense woods. Be sure to take this trail well rested and well prepared!

Missoula

Just an hour and 15 minute drive from Darby lands you in Missoula, Montana which is our next stop on this Yellowstone inspired road trip. Missoula serves as a significant filming location for the show, serving as a site for many of their scenes within town. The film crew and cast were spotted in Missoula this summer (2022) filming scenes for the upcoming season! First off if you are looking for a great breakfast spot be sure to stop by Ruby’s cafe and for those that are Yellowstone fans it may look strikingly familiar (hint: season 4). Order a hot cup of coffee and blend in with the regulars as you take in the environment and place yourself right in the Yellowstone universe. You will begin to find that Missoula is a neat little town with plenty of things to keep you entertained. Explore the downtown area while envisioning the scenes of Yellowstone and if you are interested enough the city provides a self guided walking tour which can be found here. The tour highlights the historic buildings in the area and gives a background on their significance. Many of these buildings are from the early 1900’s and some even earlier. Aside from this, Missoula has many great breweries/restaurants, museums, and more nature centered adventures outside of the city.

Helena

Our final leg of the journey leads us to Montana’s capital, Helena which is just under two hours from Missoula. Helena serves as the filming location for many of the political drama scenes in Yellowstone. Yellowstone sticks to their craft of highlighting true locations of Montana by gaining permission to film within the Montana State Capitol building. To be exact, many scenes involving the Governor are filmed here as well as the courtroom scenes. The building, which was completed in 1902, is quite magnificent sitting on 10 acres of land overlooking a well maintained landscape. The building is open during the week and during the weekends so visitors can stroll through the halls and view the many historical art pieces on the wall. Maybe if you are lucky you will begin to recognize Yellowstone familiarities within the building and feel more connected to our favorite rugged drama.

Apart from the Capitol building, Helena offers visitors so much more to see during their stay. The historical downtown offers a glimpse of what life was like during the gold rush with old style buildings with many restaurants and shops to pick up that souvenir you’ve been meaning to buy. Other stops that should be on your radar include the Historical Society Museum which is the Montana museum where travelers can learn just about all there is to learn about the great state of Montana. The Cathedral of St. Helena which is a gothic style church that appears to be plucked from a European city and transported to the great plains. And of course, it wouldn’t truly be a Montana pit stop if travelers didn’t explore some of the wilderness nearby and there is no shortage of excursions to choose from. Travelers should consider heading to Mount Helena City Park which offers a multitude of hiking trails near the towering mountain offering wide open views of the Capital below. Also, located about an hour away travelers will find Lewis and Clark Caverns state park (if you have read previous posts you will know I am a huge fan of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Check it out here) where you will find hiking trails and most importantly limestone caves filled with space like lime structures. 

Montana has no shortage of things to do and adventures to seek out whether that be in its vast wilderness or fast growing towns. It’s no wonder the state was able to inspire such a popular television series. With that being said, it is interesting to point out some irony. The series showcases push back against mainstream society and change on to old style Montana life. Meanwhile, the show has brought in thousands of tourists eager to immerse themselves in Montana culture. So, I think it is worth mentioning to be respectful of Montana nature and the residents that call it home.