Ripley's Canyon is the story of a Civil War veteran who travels West with his wife only to have her killed by Indians. He vows to live only for the purpose of extracting revenge. In the dry desert canyon country of what is now northern Utah and southern Idaho, he finds a box canyon he can defend. More important, he discovers a gold mine and prepares to mine it all by himself. Returning from a trip to buy supplies, he discovers several ex-slaves that have been freed by the Civil War and decided to take them to his new home – this remarkable canyon. When a wagon train is attacked by Indians, he rescues a woman about to be killed. In the ensuing battle Ripley kills the son of an Indian Chief who swears revenge on the "white man" who lives in the canyon. When outlaws try to discover the location of his gold mine, Ripley and his new friends are forced to fight for their lives.