Photos show what 8 iconic 'Yellowstone' locations look like in real life, from the Dutton Ranch to the 'train station'

I had put off watching "Yellowstone" long enough.

Having been born and raised in Montana, any mention I've made of my home state for the past five years has been met with questions along the lines of: "Is it like 'Yellowstone?'"

In short, no. The modern-day western drama, with five seasons of blatant and unapologetic lawlessness, is a stark contrast to the sleepy state I grew up in. Centered on the Dutton family, led by patriarch John, "Yellowstone" boasts a cast that will do anything for their dynasty: the largest ranch in Montana. Think "Succession," but with more cowboy hats.

But with the current season airing while I was home for the holidays, I figured it was time to settle in and learn about my culture. And within a few episodes, I realized there actually are a few things the TV show and the state have in common: settings.

Though some scenes are shot in Texas, Oregon, and Utah, many of the show's locations really are scattered across Montana's varied countryside — including the infamous Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. So I set out to see some of the locations for myself.

One of the first scenes in season one, episode one, takes place in the governor's office, a setting that I instantly recognized as the Montana State Capitol building.

In this scene, viewers are introduced to Jamie Dutton, John Dutton's adopted son, who works as an attorney. Throughout the first few seasons, members of the Dutton family are frequently seen in and about the governor's office.

Both inside and out, I thought this location looks just the same in person as it did on TV.

The Yellowstone Dutton Ranch is a real place — and cabins on the property can be rented out for between $1,200 and $1,500 per night. The real-life ranch is called the Chief Joseph Ranch and is located in Darby, a small town in western Montana.

While renting a cabin was out of the budget this time, the Chief Joseph Ranch can be seen from the road, so I went to check it out.

When I pulled off the highway, I was disappointed by how little of the ranch could be seen. From behind a large gate, I could see a sign welcoming visitors to the "Yellowstone Dutton Ranch." Beyond that, though, very little was in view, other than the tops of a few white barns, including one bearing the Dutton brand.

Throughout the show, the Duttons and Rip, a cowboy on the ranch, dump bodies at the "train station," an overlook that's said to be a few miles over the Wyoming border.

In reality, according to Montana's Glacier Country blog, the train station is a highway pullout near Sula, a small town about 15 minutes from the Chief Joseph Ranch — which would make it more time efficient for body-dumping, albeit less discreet.

The setting is the same as any highway turnout area, making it far more conspicuous than I had imagined. A few other cars were parked there when I arrived, hammering home that this would not be an ideal place for the Duttons to commit murder.

Still, with a river running below it and mountains on either side, the "train station" made for a beautiful view.

In reality, the "field office" is actually a building at the intersection of Woody Street and Railroad Street in Missoula, about 3.5 hours away from Livingston.

I noticed that the real-life building was missing a sign that was present in the show. Other than that, the location looks nearly identical to its portrayal in the series.

In the fourth season, John Dutton and cowboy Rip arrive at Ruby's Cafe to find that robbers are holding the place up. A shootout follows after the two sneak in the back, leaving the robbers — and the sheriff — dead.

When I stopped by the greasy spoon for bottomless coffee and a stack of buttermilk pancakes, I found a cafe that looked essentially identical to its fictional counterpart. The decor was the same, down to a whiteboard displaying the breakfast specials and dessert menu.

Ruby's is the kind of joint one comes to expect from a hometown diner: cozy and intimate, and bustling even on a weekday morning. In fact, a waitress told me they've seen a drastic difference in patronage since the episode aired.

In season four, John Dutton runs into Jamie's biological father, Garrett, at Glen's Cafe. In the episode, John tells Garrett to enjoy "the best Salisbury state in Montana, because you never know which meal will be your last."

I stopped by Glen's, located in Florence, a small town about 20 miles west south of Missoula. And while I didn't order a steak to confirm its accolades, the cafe has started selling T-shirts modeled after those worn in the show — so I picked one up for $30.

The cafe looks just like it was portrayed in the series, with a few diners nibbling at breakfast. On one wall, Glen's even boasts a shelf of "Yellowstone" memorabilia: a framed photo of Kevin Costner sitting at the bar, and a framed Glen's Cafe T-shirt.

In season one, the governor's office is shot inside Montana's real-life capitol building. In season five, however, "Yellowstone" filmed its gubernatorial scenes in the Missoula County Courthouse — which is just a few blocks from the fictional Livestock Association's Livingston Field Office.

In the first episode of the most recent season, we watch John Dutton being sworn in in front of the "capitol." The frames are tight, so non-Montana natives wouldn't notice the discrepancy. But what you can see — the front of the building — is accurate to real life.

During the midseason finale of season five, we're taken into the governor's house, where John Dutton is watching a news report about wolves killed on his land.

This scene is filmed at the Daly Mansion, a building outside of Hamilton in Montana's Bitterroot Valley. Built in the 1800s, the mansion has 50 rooms spread over 24,000 square feet, according to its website.

The Daly Mansion now serves as a museum — and the Victorian-style home looks just the same in real life as it does on the TV show.