Kevin Costner just can't quit the wilderness. Honestly, why would he? After the whirlwind drama surrounding his exit from the mega-hit series Yellowstone, most people expected him to ride off into the sunset with his Horizon saga. Instead, he doubled down on the real thing. Yellowstone to Yosemite Kevin Costner isn’t just a catchy title; it’s a three-part docuseries on Fox Nation that officially premiered in February 2025.
It's a follow-up to his 2022 project, Yellowstone: One-Fifty. If you're looking for Rip Wheeler or Beth Dutton, you're in the wrong place. This is Costner as the historian, the outdoorsman, and—if we're being real—the guy who just really likes sitting by a campfire talking about trees.
The series is actually part of a massive "America 250" campaign. It's leading up to the country's 250th anniversary in 2026. Basically, Costner is using his star power to remind us that the dirt we walk on has a pretty wild backstory.
What Really Went Down in 1903?
The meat of this series focuses on a legendary camping trip. Imagine the President of the United States just... disappearing. In May 1903, Teddy Roosevelt did exactly that. He ditched his security, his press corps, and his political advisors to go into the Yosemite backcountry with John Muir.
Costner retraces this exact path. He goes from Glacier Point to El Capitan, trying to find the literal spots where they pitched their tents. It’s kinda fascinating to see a Hollywood A-lister geeking out over a patch of dirt where a President slept a century ago.
- The President: Episode one focuses on Roosevelt’s rogue disappearance into the woods.
- The Naturalist: Episode two dives into John Muir, the guy who basically invented the idea of "leave no trace."
- The War: The final part looks at the political brawl it took to actually protect these places.
It wasn’t just a vacation. That trip changed everything. Muir convinced Roosevelt that the federal government—not the states—needed to run the show if these places were going to survive. Roosevelt went on to protect roughly 230 million acres of public land. That is a staggering amount of territory.
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Dealing with the Darker Side of History
Costner doesn't just stick to the "great men doing great things" narrative. He gets into the messy stuff. You can't talk about the creation of Yosemite without talking about the Miwok people.
The docuseries explicitly covers the 1851 massacre and the forced removal of Indigenous tribes. Costner is pretty blunt about it. He’s gone on record saying our "fingerprints as Americans" are all over the mistreatment of the first people who lived there. It’s a heavy pivot from the scenic waterfall shots, but it feels necessary. Without that context, you're only getting half the story.
He's not trying to reinvent history or play professor. He just wants the story to stay alive. It’s a weirdly personal project for him. You can tell he’s not just doing this for a paycheck. He produced it through his company, Territory Films, alongside Warm Springs Productions.
Why This Isn't Just Another Nature Doc
Most nature documentaries are just high-def footage of elk with a soothing voiceover. This is different because of the "Costner factor." He brings that same gravelly, "Man of the West" energy he used in Dances with Wolves.
The Tech Behind the Trek
If you're a road trip person, you probably know Costner co-founded an app called Autio (it used to be called HearHere). He’s obsessed with location-based storytelling. He’s been a writer and historian for that app for years, narrating thousands of stories about the American landscape.
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This TV series feels like an extension of that. It’s designed to make you want to go there. Not just look at a screen, but actually drive to a National Park.
The Cinematic Vibe
The cinematography is legitimately insane. They used the team behind Mountain Men to capture the scale of El Capitan and Yosemite Falls.
- Visuals: 4K shots of the Sierras that make your living room feel small.
- Narrative: A mix of reenactments and Costner literally hiking the trails.
- Context: Deep dives into the "resource management" politics that are still happening today.
It’s a three-part limited series, with each episode running about 45 to 50 minutes. It’s bite-sized but deep.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Trip
If watching Yellowstone to Yosemite Kevin Costner makes you want to pack a bag, don't just wing it. These parks are more crowded than ever.
First, get the Autio app. If you're driving between these parks, the app triggers stories based on your GPS. It’s like having Costner in the passenger seat telling you why a specific bridge or mountain matters.
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Second, check the reservation systems. Yosemite often requires peak-hour reservations during the summer. If you show up at the gate without one, you're turning around.
Lastly, look into the "America the Beautiful" pass. It’s about 80 bucks and gets you into every National Park for a year. If you’re hitting both Yellowstone and Yosemite, it pays for itself almost immediately.
The real lesson from Costner’s series? These places aren't guaranteed. They were fought for by a bearded naturalist and a President who liked to sleep in the snow. Keeping them around takes just as much work now as it did in 1903.
Next Steps for the Viewer:
Download the Autio app before your next mountain drive to hear Costner’s historical narrations in real-time. If you’re planning a visit to Yosemite, book your entry reservations at least three months in advance through Recreation.gov to ensure you can actually see the sites featured in the series.