The Real-Life Places in Wyoming that Inspired The Good Dinosaur
When The Good Dinosaur came out in 2015, it wasn’t automatically accepted for what it was. As time has gone on however, this film has seemed to gain a kind of cult following. A cult following that I am proud to consider myself a part of. As I’ve gone further and further down The Good Dinosaur rabbit hole, I’ve become increasingly interested in the making of this film. The settings are based almost exclusively on real life locations throughout Wyoming. So today I’m going to break down some of those locations and give you an overview of the real-life places in Wyoming that inspired The Good Dinosaur.
The Grand Teton Mountain Range
Pixar animators went to painstaking lengths to get the settings of this movie just right, and they are, in a word, BREATHTAKING. Clawtooth Mountain, home to our Apatosaurus family, is based on the Grand Teton mountain range. Their home even resembles some of the old barns that you can see as you drive along the popular 42-mile scenic loop.
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Clawtooth Mountain in the Opening Credits of The Good Dinosaur -
The Grand Tetons in Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park
As Arlo and Spot journey back to Clawtooth mountain, they pass many hot springs that closely resemble those within Yellowstone. While it’s not possible to walk on the surface of the hot springs in real life, their vibrant colors are still on display for eager tourists to view.
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Arlo Meets Butch and Family in The Good Dinosaur -
Yellowstone National Park
Wild Bison
One of the pivotal scenes in the movie, is when Arlo’s new dino-friends ask him to be a distraction for the Velociraptors. They need Arlo to attract them so that they rescue the wild “longhorns” and herd them back to safety. The settings for this scene were lifted directly from the sprawling planes in Wyoming, where wild Bison wander free. As a visitor today, you can often see Bison grazing in both Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park.
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The Gang Finds the Longhorns -
Wild Bison Grazing in Grand Teton National Park
The Snake River
Pixar animators have confirmed that the Snake River was the main inspiration for the river Arlo must follow to get home. They even took a whitewater rafting research trip down the Snake River! (And were able to understand how powerful this body of water really was.)
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The Snake River in Wyoming -
The river that goes along the side of Arlo’s home that he must follow in order to get back
The Red Desert
If you want to understand what it would be like to be lost in the great outdoors, spend a few hours in the Red Desert. This gorgeous vast landscape was heavily used as the backdrop for Arlo’s journey.
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Red Desert in Wyoming -
The Landscapes in the Opening Shots of The Good Dinosaur
Fossil Butte National Monument
The second most recognizable rock formation in the film, is non-other-than Fossil Butte National Monument. Including elements like this into the backdrop of the film added a sense of realism to the settings, even though the events are from another time.
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Fossil Butte in Wyoming -
The Landscapes in the Opening of The Good Dinosaur
These are just a handful of the biggest real-life places that inspired The Good Dinosaur. There are lots of additional specific destinations that you can visit and build an entire itinerary around. Check out my Ultimate 7-Day The Good Dinosaur Inspired Itinerary for more ideas!
And to learn more about the filmmaking process on The Good Dinosaur, check out the making of video below. It includes amazing sweeping shots of the above-mentioned locations.
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