Where is Murder at Yellowstone City Filmed? An Appreciation of the Gorgeous Places
Murder at Yellowstone City is a compelling 2022 Western thriller that brings old Montana vividly to life. Directed by Richard Gray, the film combines stunning landscapes with the timeless mystery of a gold-rush town.
But really, where did the magic happen? This article takes you behind the cameras to the actual locations that captured the essence, as a visit to any of them will demonstrate. From the one-of-a-kind Yellowstone Film Ranch to the haunting, anguished look of Emigrant Gulch, discover why Montana was the perfect backdrop for this heart-pounding tale.
Yellowstone Film Ranch The Epicenter of the Making
When Richard Gray was searching for the perfect location to film Murder at Yellowstone City, he didn’t have to look very far. In 2020, he co-founded the Yellowstone Film Ranch, located in Pray, Paradise Valley, Montana. The special western backlot was used to shoot the series by May 2021zę.
The ranch was a place where I had total artistic liberation.” It was explicitly designed to resemble a real 1800s town with more than 30 detailed buildings. Among these were a saloon, whorehouse, bathhouse, bank, sheriff’s office, church, general store and a mine entrance.
Each of the perfect old-time settings that every building contributed to cut down on valuable time and another layer of effort for the production team. Emigrant Peak, rising in the background, gave many scenes a true sense of scale and drama.
Even exteriors, such as the image of cowboys riding on undulating hills, were filmed just outside the ranch. The crew also shot in the mountains around Chico Hot Springs, utilizing the wide-open space for its big action moments.
The backlot wasn’t just scenery, see. It was “alive, like it was breathing, and that’s part of the story,” adjacent to where the cast and crew lived while filming. All that contact kept everyone intimately connected to their characters and the world they were making.
Living The Western Dream On The Set
It was a game changer for director Richard Gray and the team, given their proximity to the set. They weren’t visiting a town, in other words; they were living within one. The trailers were parked down by the backlot, so in the morning, the actors were able to step right onto set and be part of the world they were creating.
Actor Nat Wolff says shooting at Yellowstone Film Ranch was like stepping into a childhood dream. He rode there on horseback, parked his horse in front of the saloon, and had lunch with the mountains surrounding him. There was nothing that looked like a set that was just put up — it felt like a real place. This thorough immersion firmed up every performance.
Scenes inside the church, town hall, and sheriff’s office were filmed in real buildings already on the property, built by settlers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries from stones extracted from the property’s abundant rock layers. The authenticity of the location lent every shot a natural appearance and feel, further enhancing the movie’s credibility.
Montana’s 30% film tax credit and absence of sales tax also made Yellowstone Film Ranch an appealing and cost-effective option for the production team. Goodies like costume houses, green screens, production offices in nearby Livingsto,n and flexible space for customized sets turned it into a full-service filmmaking location.
Natural Scenery Of Emigrant Gulch
While most of the filming took place at the Yellowstone Film Ranch, a few of the outdoor scenes required a rugged, unspoiled Western feel. For that, the team looked to Emigrant Gulch, a pristine natural area a few miles north of Chico City — the Yellowstone City of the 1860s.
The film was titled Murder at Emigrant Gulch, which tells you how central the gulch was to the plot. Emigrant Gulch was truly spectacular, boasting clear mountain views, barren land, and lush vegetation. It afforded the film a rough, real-world backdrop, one that even the most detailed artificial set couldn’t entirely replicate.
Some horse riding and open-field scenes, as well as some of the more expansive, panoramic landscapes, were shot here. (Emigrant Gulch’s brutal splendor helped keep the movie’s invented town anchored in a real spot, marrying fantasy to history gorgeously on the screen.
The juxtaposition of the artificial town in the ranch versus the natural beauty of Emigrant Gulch lends Murder at Yellowstone City depth and richness, making the audience feel as if they are taking part in a 360-degree immersion.
FAQ
Where was Murder at Yellowstone City filmed?
The film was primarily shot at Yellowstone Film Ranch in Pray, Montana, with some outdoor scenes also filmed at nearby Emigrant Gulch.
What is Yellowstone Film Ranch?
It is a complete western town movie set constructed by the director Richard Gray and others in 2020. It features 30 realistic buildings and full-scale production facilities.
How did Montana end up in the film?
Happy Hunting Grounds, Montana’s natural landscape, tax credit incentives, and the existing Yellowstone Film Ranch make it a prominent place to set up an authentic Western backdrop.
Were the cast living around where you were shooting?
Yes, the cast and crew spent a lot of time near the Yellowstone Film Ranch, and it’s an environment that would have brought everyone together within the world of the film in a solidarity fashion.
Did they film a lot of things in Emigrant Gulch?
Yes, Emigrant Gulch, a colorful natural setting, was employed for sweeping outdoor sequences to suggest the rugged spirit of the Old West.
Final Words
Murder at Yellowstone City was an incredible resurrection of the spirit of the Wild West, down to every fine detail and every piece of memorable crafting. The movie feels genuine and magical, thanks to Richard Gray’s creative vision and the unparalleled assets of Yellowstone Film Ranch and Emigrant Gulch.
Whether it was riding horses to a real saloon or highlighting nature’s rugged beauty, each decision helped build a lush landscape for audiences to savor. Montana wasn’t just a backdrop — it functioned as a main character of its own in the story.
Table of Contents