The film stars Johnny Mack Brown, Tex Ritter, Fuzzy Knight, Jennifer Holt, Mady Correll and Earle Hodgins.

[1][2][3] Ranch owner Belle Turner (Mady Correll) owns one of the few properties along the Old Chisolm Trail that has badly-needed water for cattlemen driving their herds to Abilene, but charges exorbitant fees in return.

Not willing to pay Belle five dollars a head of steer for water, Dusty Gardner (Johnny Mack Brown) and his fellow cattlemen detour his herd to Lost River, where he meets Mary Lee (Jennifer Holt), the blond proprietor of the local trading post, and gambler Montana Smith (Tex Ritter).

Subsequently, Dusty and the other cattlemen decide to leave their herds on Belle’s ranch to "fatten up," while they pursue an attempt to drill for their own water supply.

[1] 'The Old Chisholm Trail' was the third in a series of three Universal films starring Johnny Mack Brown and Tex Ritter, following Deep in the Heart of Texas and Little Joe, the Wrangler.