Where Was True Grit Filmed?

Few Westerns have left as lasting a mark on cinema as True Grit. Whether you remember John Wayne’s iconic Oscar-winning performance as Rooster Cogburn charging across a meadow with reins in his teeth, or Jeff Bridges’ grizzled, weathered interpretation of the same character, one question haunts fans of both films: Where was True Grit filmed?

The answer is surprisingly different for each version. The 1969 original—set in Arkansas and Indian Territory—was shot almost entirely in Colorado. The 2010 remake, a more faithful adaptation of Charles Portis’s novel, moved production to Texas and New Mexico.

This guide breaks down every major filming location for both movies, so you can plan your own “set-jetting” adventure or simply settle the debate once and for all.

Quick Answer: Two Films, Two Locations

The 1969 Original: John Wayne’s Colorado Classic

When Paramount Pictures brought Charles Portis’s novel to the screen in 1969, director Henry Hathaway needed a location that could double for the border of Arkansas and Indian Territory (modern-day Oklahoma). The choice was Ridgway, Colorado—a small railroad town in the San Juan Mountains .

Trivia: This film earned John Wayne his only Academy Award for Best Actor. He also won a Golden Globe for the same role .

Ridgway: The Heart of Fort Smith

The entire town of Ridgway was transformed into the fictional “Fort Smith, Arkansas” for six weeks in 1968 . Here are the key spots you can still visit today:

Beyond Town: The Iconic Landscape Shots

The most memorable scenes took place outside Ridgway, in the breathtaking Colorado wilderness.

Mattie’s Ranch (The Ross Farmstead)
The opening and closing scenes—showing Mattie Ross as an older woman—were filmed at an abandoned ranch on Last Dollar Road, about ten miles southwest of Ridgway near Placerville. This is private property, but you can view it from the road .

Deb’s Meadow (aka Katie’s Meadow)
This is the site of the legendary climactic showdown. You know the line: “Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!” Rooster charges across this meadow with Chimney Rock visible in the background. It is located on Country Road 8 at the top of Owl Creek Pass, about ten miles east of Ridgway. Locals sometimes call it “Debbie’s Meadow” after Debbie Reynolds, who filmed scenes for The Unsinkable Molly Brown there .

Hot Creek, California (The Dugout Cabin Scene)
One notable exception: the dugout cabin scene—where Cogburn, Mattie, and La Boeuf encounter Quince and Moon (Dennis Hopper)—was not filmed in Colorado. It was shot at Hot Creek in Mammoth Lakes, California .

The 2010 Remake: The Coen Brothers’ Texas & New Mexico

When Joel and Ethan Coen set out to make their version of True Grit, they had a different vision. They wanted a faithful adaptation of Portis’s novel, set in winter with snow on the ground. Colorado was considered, but the Coens chose Texas and New Mexico for tax incentives and reliable snowfall .

Did You Know? The Coens considered filming in Oklahoma (where much of the story takes place), but they couldn’t guarantee spring snow. New Mexico’s incentive program sealed the deal .

Granger, Texas: The New Fort Smith

The fictional “Fort Smith, Arkansas” of 2010 is actually Granger, Texas, a small agricultural community about 40 miles northeast of Austin. The Coens used West Davilla Street as the main thoroughfare, adding wooden frontages to disguise modern buildings .

New Mexico: The Wilderness and the Showdown

The second half of the film—the pursuit into “Indian Territory”—was shot in New Mexico, primarily on private ranches outside Santa Fe and Las Vegas .

San Cristobal Ranch (Lamy, NM)

Charles R Ranch (Las Vegas, NM)
The final confrontation between Rooster and Lucky Ned Pepper’s gang was filmed on this ranch (36 Blue Sky Road, south of Las Vegas). The infamous rattlesnake pit—where Mattie falls after shooting Tom Chaney—is the Charles R Ranch Cave, an old turquoise mine. The interior shots of the snake pit were built on a soundstage in Austin .

Visiting the Locations Today

For the 1969 Film

The town of Ridgway, Colorado fully embraces its True Grit legacy. You can:

• Eat at the True Grit Café (though they don’t serve Corn Dodgers, unfortunately) 

• Visit the Ouray County Ranch History Museum to see the paddy wagon

• Drive Owl Creek Pass to hike out to Deb’s Meadow and see Chimney Rock

• Respect private property at the Ross Ranch (view from Last Dollar Road only) 

For the 2010 Film

The Texas locations are more scattered, but dedicated fans can:

• Walk West Davilla Street in Granger and imagine the gallows

• Visit the Old Blanco County Courthouse (now a multi-use venue for events)

Drive the backroads around Santa Fe and Las Vegas—though many ranch locations are not open to the public

Conclusion

The answer to “Where was True Grit filmed?” depends entirely on which version you love. For John Wayne purists, the pilgrimage leads to the golden aspen forests and rugged peaks of Ridgway and Ouray, Colorado. For fans of the Coen brothers’ darker, more faithful adaptation, the trail runs through the dusty streets of Granger, Texas, and the high desert ranches of New Mexico.

Both films captured the essence of Charles Portis’s story—a young girl’s relentless pursuit of justice in a harsh, unforgiving land. And both left behind locations that fans can still visit, touch, and walk through today.