1923, the Yellowstone prequel starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, was filmed across stunning real-world locations to capture its early 20th-century drama without heavy CGI. Creator Taylor Sheridan scouted authentic global spots for the Dutton family's saga of drought, Prohibition, and family strife.

Primary Montana Locations

Montana provided the rugged Western heartland, doubling as the fictional Dutton ranch territory. The historic Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby served as the Dutton homestead, shared with Yellowstone. Uptown Butte transformed into Bozeman, with streets like Broadway and Hamilton hosting boxing scenes and town exteriors—locals still spot production marks today.

Key Montana spots included:

  • Anaconda, Whitehall, Park City, Valier : Small-town authenticity for rural life.
  • Deer Lodge, Hamilton, Dillon, Bannack : Ghost towns and plains for chases and homesteads.
  • Butte extras : Civic Center and Carpenter's Union Hall for interiors.

These choices immersed viewers in the Big Sky State's harsh beauty, echoing the show's themes of land battles.

Butte's gritty mining history perfectly mirrored 1920s economic struggles, with crews shutting down blocks for filming.

International Backdrops

For Spencer Dutton's (Brandon Sklenar) African odyssey with Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer), production globe-trotted to avoid fakes. South Africa hosted Nairobi's Stanley Hotel at Kearsney Manor and train scenes at Umgeni Steam Railway. Tanzania (Zanzibar) and Malta added exotic ports and architecture. Rare mentions include Kenya and even Afghanistan for untamed vibes.

This globe-spanning approach—spotted in trailers as early as 2022—highlighted Sheridan's "shoot real corners of the world" philosophy.

Fan and Trending Buzz

Fans flock to Butte for self-guided tours, sharing Google Maps pins of boxing rings and saloons on forums—it's a pilgrimage for Yellowstone diehards. Season 2 (wrapped by early 2025) revisited Montana while expanding abroad, fueling Reddit threads on hidden gems like Pony or Lockhart. As of March 2026, no major new sites leaked, but whispers of Europe persist.

Region| Key Sites| Role in Show
---|---|---
Montana, USA| Butte, Chief Joseph Ranch, Anaconda| Dutton ranch, Bozeman town, rural struggles 123
South Africa/Tanzania| Kearsney Manor, Umgeni Railway| Africa storyline, Nairobi hotel/train 35
Malta/Europe| Various studios/landscapes| Ports, international tension 13

TL;DR: Mostly Montana (Butte as Bozeman, Chief Joseph Ranch), plus South Africa and Tanzania for global flair—perfect for road trips!

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.