Dark Winds is set in the early 1970s. Specifically:
- Season 1 takes place in 1971, primarily during the summer
- Season 2 continues the story in the winter of 1971 and possibly into early 1972, just a few months after the events of the first season
- Season 3 is set approximately six months after Season 2, placing it firmly in 1972. Clues within the show, such as references to Jane Fonda's "Hanoi Jane" nickname (which became prominent in July 1972), further pinpoint Season 3 to mid-1972
The series uses this early 1970s setting to explore the cultural, social, and political issues facing the Navajo Nation and the broader American Southwest during that era
