The 5 Rugged Real-Life Locations Where Netflix’s American Primeval Was Filmed: The Hardest Shoot Of Peter Berg’s Career

The epic, six-episode limited series American Primeval, which hit Netflix on January 29, 2025, is not just a gritty Western—it’s a cinematic testament to the unforgiving beauty of the American frontier. The sprawling drama, set in the brutal landscape of the 19th-century Utah Territory, follows the story of Isaac Reed, a man fighting for survival and redemption. While the narrative is set hundreds of miles away in what is now Utah state, the entire production was anchored in one singular, rugged state: New Mexico. This choice was deliberate, providing the authentic, harsh, and majestic backdrop required to tell a tale of the American West's violent birth. The sheer scale and difficulty of the shoot led director Peter Berg to famously call it the hardest project he has ever filmed, a sentiment underscored by the 13-month production schedule and the extreme outdoor conditions faced by the cast and crew.

This deep dive into the show’s production will explore the precise, real-world locations in New Mexico that served as the stand-ins for the lawless territory, detailing how the production team transformed modern-day sites into a believable, blood-soaked western frontier. From famous movie ranches to remote pueblos, these are the key filming locations that brought the violent, expansive world of American Primeval to life.

The Creative Forces and Key Entities Behind the American Primeval Epic

Before exploring the landscape, it’s essential to understand the powerhouse team that brought this ambitious project to the screen. The series is a collaborative effort between major Hollywood players, all of whom committed to the grueling, on-location shoot in New Mexico. The cast and crew are themselves a list of significant entities in the entertainment world, lending immediate gravitas to the project.

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• Creator & Writer: Mark L. Smith. Smith is the creative mind who penned all six episodes. He is renowned for his work on survivalist and intense dramas, most notably co-writing the Oscar-winning screenplay for The Revenant (2015) and writing The Midnight Sky (2020). His experience with harsh, natural settings was crucial for American Primeval.
• Director & Executive Producer: Peter Berg. Berg, known for his visceral, high-stakes directing style in projects like Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor, and Patriots Day, directed every episode. His commitment to authentic, on-location filming directly contributed to the production's extreme challenges.
• Star: Taylor Kitsch (as Isaac Reed). Kitsch reunited with Berg after their successful collaboration on Friday Night Lights. His character, Isaac Reed, is central to the narrative, and Kitsch’s performance required him to endure the 13 months of harsh New Mexico weather.
• Co-Star: Betty Gilpin (as Sara Rowell). Gilpin, known for her roles in GLOW and The Hunt, plays Sara Rowell, a woman whose fate becomes intertwined with Reed’s.
• Key Supporting Cast: The ensemble includes other notable actors, such as Kim Coates (as Brigham Young) and Jai Courtney (as Virgil Cutter).
• Executive Producer: Eric Newman (known for Narcos and Children of Men) also served as an executive producer, completing the high-profile production team.

The Primary Filming Hub: Why New Mexico Was Chosen

The decision to film American Primeval entirely in New Mexico was a strategic one, driven by the state's distinct and diverse topography. Although the story unfolds in the Utah Territory, the southwestern state of New Mexico offers an unparalleled variety of landscapes—from arid deserts and dramatic mesas to snow-capped mountains and lush river valleys—that can convincingly stand in for the vast, untamed American West.

The entire production was a massive undertaking, utilizing the state's resources for over a year. Out of 130 filming days, only two took place indoors, a fact that highlights the show's commitment to location authenticity and the crew’s relentless exposure to the elements. The primary logistical base for the series was the state's largest city and its burgeoning film industry infrastructure.

Netflix Albuquerque Studios: The Indoor Base

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While the vast majority of the shoot was outdoors, the production was anchored at Netflix Albuquerque Studios. Located in Albuquerque's Mesa del Sol, this massive studio complex provided the necessary sound stages and production facilities for any interior scenes, post-production work, and equipment staging. The studio's presence is a testament to New Mexico’s growing status as a major production hub, often called "Tamalewood."

The Specific, Rugged New Mexico Locations

To capture the authentic look of the 19th-century frontier, director Peter Berg and the production team utilized several specific, remote, and historically rich locations across New Mexico. These sites provided the perfect blend of isolation, dramatic scenery, and historical texture, allowing the series to transport viewers back to a lawless era.

1. Bonanza Creek Ranch

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One of the most significant and recognizable locations used was Bonanza Creek Ranch, located near Santa Fe. This is not just a patch of land; it is a meticulously preserved, 1880s mining-town-turned-movie-set. The ranch has served as the backdrop for countless major Westerns and period dramas, including Lonesome Dove, 3:10 to Yuma, and Cowboys & Aliens. Its existing structures—saloons, churches, and dusty streets—provided the perfect, ready-made setting for the show’s frontier towns and settlements, saving significant time and resources on set construction.

2. The Pueblos: Cochiti and Santa Clara

The production sought out authentic, untouched landscapes, leading them to film scenes near the small towns of Cochiti Pueblo and Santa Clara Pueblo. These areas, rich in Native American history and culture, offer stunning, ancient geological formations and vast stretches of untouched wilderness that are essential for a story about the American West. The use of these remote locations further contributed to the logistical complexity of the shoot.

3. Santa Fe Sound Stages and Surroundings

While Albuquerque served as the main studio base, sound stages and surrounding areas in Santa Fe were also utilized. Santa Fe’s proximity to the Bonanza Creek Ranch made it a convenient hub for filming the more settled or constructed elements of the series. The city's unique high-desert environment and dramatic mountain views provided a secondary, equally authentic setting for the show’s wide-angle shots and vistas.

4. Pajarito Ski Mountain

Perhaps the most surprising location is Pajarito Ski Mountain. Located near Los Alamos, this mountain range provided the necessary elevation and terrain for scenes requiring snow, high-altitude forests, and rugged mountain passes. The inclusion of a ski resort area highlights the sheer diversity of New Mexico’s landscape, which can convincingly portray both the scorching deserts and the freezing mountain territories of the 19th-century West.

The 13-Month Ordeal: Facing the New Mexico Elements

The decision to shoot almost entirely outdoors, across a full calendar year, was the source of the production’s legendary difficulty. Director Peter Berg and the cast, including Taylor Kitsch and Betty Gilpin, were forced to contend with the unpredictable and often brutal weather of the New Mexico mountains and deserts.

The 13-month shoot was a continuous battle against the elements, which included everything from intense heat and dust storms to freezing snow and sudden temperature shifts. This real-world struggle, however, is precisely what gives American Primeval its raw, visceral edge. The authenticity of the actors’ discomfort and the genuine ruggedness of the environment translate directly to the screen, lending an undeniable truth to the series' depiction of the frontier. Berg's commitment to this method, stating he was in a "feral state" while filming, underscores the dedication to capturing the raw, untamed spirit of the American West.

The use of these real-life, challenging locations—from the historic Bonanza Creek Ranch to the remote pueblos and high-altitude mountains—was essential in creating the expansive, bloody, and visually stunning world of American Primeval, cementing New Mexico's role as the definitive modern-day stand-in for the lawless American frontier.