A Texas settler and his daughter, Sally, start on a journey in a prairie schooner after bidding farewell to Sally's mother and to Tom, the ranger, who is operating in the neighborhood on a lookout for cattle rustlers and illicit whiskey sellers. The great wagon is hauled out of the corral by a pair of spirited horses, while ranger Tom departs to take up the trail of a "bootlegger" who is reported to have been operating among the Indians thereabouts.
No relation to the 1950 John Ford classic of the same name, Rio Grande is yet another rubber-stamp Charles Starrett western from the Columbia assembly line.
"Nevada" and "Weary" Pierce hijack the loot taken in a bank hold-up by Les Setter, and his gang. They escape from Sheriff Jim Henry Warner. U. S. government horse-buyer David Ward is killed by Settler's men and Settler takes his papers and goes to the ranch of Blaine and asks for the horses Ward was to buy, promising payment from the government later. He also takes an interest in Ina Blaine, much to the resentment of her sweetheart Ben Ide. "Nevada" and "Weary" are hired for the horse round-up but Setter has them and Ben arrested on a fake charge.
It's 1885. Wild bison are scarce in the North West Territories. Luther Giddings (Paul Spence), a scout of mixed blood returns to the buffalo ranch where he was born to reunite with his half brother, William Turner (Dave Lawrence). Greeted by a rag tag posse of racists, homophobes and gossips, the only kindness Luther receives is from the rancher's effeminate son. Whiskey floats more trouble than it drowns and before long, he is on the run, the bison rancher's inept outfit on his tail. When Luther discovers that the captive white buffalo has followed him, he vows to return the animal to her people to trigger the return of the Great Herds. With an two thousand pound buffalo and a reluctant brother from another father in tow.
When Decker's gang holds up a stage, henchman Lefty takes a lady's rings. Later lefty accidentally exposes the rings buying ammunition and Cheyenne sees them. When Lefty tries to shoot Cheyenne he is captured. Now Cheyenne wants the rest of the gang and their leader.
Red Reagan, and two companions, Brooks and Mathis, lose their way while on a prospecting trip in the mountains. Fortunately they come to an Indian camp where they get food and water, and So-Jun-Wah a beauteous Indian maid, shows them the trail to the settlement.
A band of outlaws, led by "Papa" Clellan, hold up in a ghost town as they plan an attack on a wagon train loaded with gold. The unexpected arrival of a stagecoach forces the gang to hold the passengers and driver as hostages. The later arrival of a wanderer, John Trey, sets in motion events not in "Papa" Clellan's original plan.
A group of confederate soldiers uses their unique set of skills to travel behind enemy lines to take on deadly missions which reign havoc on the Union army.
The Dale's need money for their sick mother and Bart Travis, having found gold, says he will provide it. Duke Remsden learns of the strike and waylays Buzz Dale as he tries to record Bart's deed. Then dressed as Bart, Duke kills and robs a man. With the Sheriff after Bart, Buzz escapes capture, finds the clothes worn to impersonate Bart, and heads for the Sheriff.
"Hurricane" Smith (Francis Ford), head of a steamship company, plots to keep the railroad from entering the city. The map of the proposed route becomes the instrument by which Blake (Frank Baker) and Florence (Florence Gilbert) become targets of Smith's gang. Smith, however, didn't account for Pinto Pete (Ashton Dearholt), he of the spotted hand-- A wanted, whip-wielding rogue who comes to Florence's rescue.
Escaping from the law once again, Billy, Fuzzy, and Jeff ride to the ranch of Jeff's uncle only to find another family living their. They soon learn of Cobb Allen's scheme where he sells a ranch, makes sure the rancher can't pay off his note, kicks him out, and resells the ranch. But Billy has a plan to recover the ranchers' money and he sends Fuzzy to town with a fake map to a gold treasure.
After years of wandering due to a charge of murder, Tim Reynolds returns to Sagebrush to find the Sheriff Tate Hurley who was his chief accuser. The hatred between the two men was not extinguished, and they first compete in a wrestling match.
After conning a potential buyer into believing that Queenie's herd is diseased, nasty would-be empire builder Duke Drake is confronted by the girl's new tough foreman Bill Foster. In retaliation, Drake frames Bill for a stage robbery committed by his own henchmen and arranges a phony trial presided over by the saloon's bartender Judge Whipple. Queenie interrupts the "trial" with the news that the townswomen have all elected Jim Marshal. To uphold the decision, Bill has secured the release of three convicted outlaws: Blackie Malone, Bad Bill Smith, and Shotgun Thompson, two of whom join in the fight against Drake and his gang.