Dutton Ranch is the newest chapter of the Yellowstone universe. It premiered on Paramount+ on May 15, 2026. The show follows Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler as they leave Montana and start over in Texas. But where exactly was it filmed? Here is everything you need to know.
About Dutton Ranch
The story picks up after the Yellowstone Ranch sale. Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler head to South Texas to build a fresh legacy on a 7,000-acre spread near the fictional town of Rio Paloma. They are raising their adopted son Carter while facing brutal new rivalries, land disputes, and the kind of violence that always follows the Dutton name.
At the center of the conflict is Beulah Jackson, played by Annette Bening. She is the matriarch of a powerful local ranching family that has had the area locked down for generations. Beth buying the Edwards Ranch, renamed Dutton Ranch, steps right on their toes.
The new cast also includes Ed Harris, Jai Courtney, Finn Little, and Marc Menchaca.
Dutton Ranch Filming Locations
Dutton Ranch was filmed across North Texas between August 2025 and March 2026. This is a big change from Yellowstone, which was filmed at Chief Joseph Ranch in Montana. The production team decided to set and shoot the show in Texas from the very beginning, baking the location right into the scripts.
| Filming Location | What It Represents in the Show |
|---|---|
| Ferris, TX (Ellis County) | Main Dutton Ranch set, exterior and ranch life scenes |
| Weatherford, TX (Parker County) | Ranch and rival 10 Petal bunkhouse sequences |
| Fort Worth, TX | Rio Paloma High School, streets, and interiors |
| Mineral Wells, TX | Gas station scene with Rip and Azul |
| Rio Vista, TX (Johnson County) | The Split Heart Bar (Episodes 2+) |
| Boyd, TX (Wise County) | Rural ranch exterior sequences |
| Cleburne, TX (Johnson County) | Small-town exteriors and driving shots |
| Dallas, TX | Driving sequences and background city shots |
Executive producer David Glasser said it “just made sense to try something new,” adding that if they were going to do a fish-out-of-water story, “there was no better place than Texas.”
Ferris, Texas: Main Location
Ferris, in Ellis County south of Dallas, served as the primary production hub. Most exterior ranch house, bunkhouse, livestock, and daily ranch operations scenes were filmed here. The town has that classic old-Texas feel. Open roads, weathered buildings, and big open skies. It was the perfect stand-in for the fictional Dutton spread.
Also read: Where was Off Campus filmed? Every Real Location Behind Briar University
Weatherford, Texas: The Rival Ranch Country
Weatherford, in Parker County west of Fort Worth, was a major filming spot for both the new Dutton Ranch and the rival 10 Petal bunkhouse sequences. Much of the pastoral ranch life and wide landscape shots were filmed here, near Taylor Sheridan’s own Bosque Ranch.
Fort Worth, Texas: School Scenes and City Streets
Fort Worth shows up a lot in the series. E.M. Daggett Middle School at 1108 Carlock St. stood in for Rio Paloma High School. Production paid $33,100 for eight days to film in the auditorium, gym, cafeteria, locker rooms, parking lots, and classrooms for Carter’s school scenes.
Interior and additional work was done at SGS Studios in Alliance, Taylor Sheridan’s massive 450,000-square-foot facility.
Mineral Wells, Texas: The Gas Station Scene
Tommy’s gas station at 4766 Farm-to-Market Road 1195 in Mineral Wells was used for Rip and Azul’s road stop scene. It is a quick but tense moment in the show. The real location adds to the gritty, lived-in feeling of the story.
Also read: Neglected (2026): Where to Watch, Cast, Streaming and Everything You Need to Know
Rio Vista, Texas: Where Beth Stops for a Drink
Roughnecks Bar and Grill at 103 Depot St. in Rio Vista, Johnson County, doubled as the Split Heart Bar, the local watering hole where Beth stops for a drink. It is the kind of place that feels like it has seen everything. That energy comes through on screen.
Boyd and Cleburne, Texas: The Rural Backdrop
Boyd, in Wise County northwest of DFW, was used for ranch exterior sequences, livestock work, and rural territory scenes. Cleburne, in Johnson County southwest of DFW, provided small-town exteriors and supporting rural settings. Both towns helped fill out the wide, dusty world of Rio Paloma.
Dallas, Texas: City Driving and Background Shots
Dallas was used for various driving sequences, background shots, and road work. It does not play a named role in the story. But it quietly fills in the gaps between the bigger rural locations.
Is Rio Paloma, Texas a real place?
No. The story takes place near a fictional South Texas town called Rio Paloma. It does not exist on any map. But the locations used to bring it to life are very real, and they are spread across North Texas.
Dutton Ranch Production Timeline
| Phase | Date |
|---|---|
| Filming begins in Fort Worth | August 2025 |
| Production across North Texas | August 2025 to March 2026 |
| Series premiere on Paramount+ | May 15, 2026 |
| New episodes drop | Every Friday |
| Total episodes in Season 1 | 9 |
Why did Dutton Ranch film in North Texas?
The show is set in South Texas. But the crew filmed in North Texas. There are a few reasons for that.
| Reason | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tax incentives | Texas offers strong film production credits |
| Taylor Sheridan’s base | Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch is near Weatherford |
| SGS Studios | His 450,000 sq ft facility is in Fort Worth |
| Authentic look | North Texas landscapes matched the show’s visual needs |
| Crew and infrastructure | The DFW area has deep film production resources |
The shift from Montana’s dramatic mountain valleys to Texas’s flat, sun-bleached terrain gives Dutton Ranch a completely different visual feel. Where Yellowstone felt sweeping and epic, Dutton Ranch feels exposed and intimate. There is nowhere to hide in the Texas brush country, and the heat almost becomes a character itself.
Can You Visit the Dutton Ranch Filming Locations?
Yes. Most of the locations are real towns and public spaces in North Texas. Here is a quick guide.
| Location | Address | Visitor Access |
|---|---|---|
| Roughnecks Bar and Grill (Split Heart Bar) | 103 Depot St., Rio Vista, TX | Open bar and restaurant |
| Tommy’s Gas Station | 4766 FM 1195, Mineral Wells, TX | Publicly accessible |
| E.M. Daggett Middle School (Rio Paloma High) | 1108 Carlock St., Fort Worth, TX | Public exterior viewing |
| Ferris, TX (Dutton Ranch area) | Ellis County, south of Dallas | Open town, public roads |
| Weatherford, TX | Parker County, west of Fort Worth | Open town, public roads |
Dutton Ranch vs. Yellowstone: How the filming changed?
| Yellowstone | Dutton Ranch | |
|---|---|---|
| Main filming state | Montana | Texas |
| Key ranch location | Chief Joseph Ranch, Darby, MT | Saunders Ranch, Ferris, TX |
| Landscape feel | Mountain valleys, big sky | Flat plains, scrubland, heat |
| Studio used | Utah Film Studios | SGS Studios, Fort Worth |
| Production length | Multiple seasons | 8 months for Season 1 |
Dutton Ranch is streaming now on Paramount+. New episodes drop every Friday.
