what is yellowstone based on

Yellowstone is a Western drama series that follows the Dutton family, the owners of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, which is the largest ranch in Montana. The show chronicles the Dutton familys drama at the ranch, as well as with the nearby Broken Rock Indian Reservation, national park, and developers wanting a piece of their land. However, Yellowstone is not based on any real events or people that exist in real life. The show's creator, Taylor Sheridan, explained that the issues that are explored in the show are inspired by problems that exist in western mountain states in the US. While the Yellowstone Ranch is real and is located in Darby, Montana, it is actually called the Chief Joseph Ranch. The ranch is one of the main characters on the show, and its scope and scale make it that way.