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True Grit Walking Tours

The Ridgway Western Heritage Society offers a free one-hour True Grit Movie Walking Tour at 3 p.m. every Friday June, July and August. Also 10 am Mondays in July.
Image of John Wayne during True Grit filming
Imag
Image of the Bank Building from True Grit Guided Tour.

Tours are free and last about an hour.  Meet 15 minutes beforehand at the gazebo at Hartwell Park, which borders Highway 62/Sherman Street. Groups of four or more may email Eve Becker-Doyle to arrange a custom tour at any time during the year but there is a charge of $10 per adult.

To explore more film locations on your own, you can head on out on a day trip to find some of the famous movie sites as well as the state’s most photographed mountain scenery. Ten miles west of Ridgway on Last Dollar Road are the remains of the ranch of Mattie Ross (played by Kim Darby in the movie), where John Wayne jumped his horse over the fence at the end of the film. And to the east, near Owl Creek Pass, is the aspen-lined valley of Katie’s Meadow (also known as Deb's Meadow) – one of the most memorable scenes from True Grit. Fifteen minutes up Highway 550 in Ouray, you can visit Ouray County Courthouse where the film's interior court scenes were filmed.

Stop by the Ridgway Visitor Center to get a copy of Ridgway’s Western Movies: A Guide to Filming Locations.