Veteran western performers Harry Carey and Marguerite Clayton appeared in three films together from 1923-1924: Desert Driven, Tiger Thompson and, perhaps their best, Canyon of the Fools.

Hobo poet Sundown Slim meets his old friend Billy Corliss in a Western saloon. Billy, in poor health as a result of injuries sustained in a train wreck, now owns the Concho cattle ranch with his brother Jack who runs the ranch. Sundown obtains a job at the Concho and becomes embroiled in the Corliss' battle with their sheeprancher neighbors, the Fernandos. When Loring, one of Jack's employees, attacks Fernando's daughter Anita, Jack fires him but Fernando, not satisfied, vows revenge on Jack, then shoots Billy by mistake.

Dick Rainboldt (Carey) signs up to work at a gold mine without realizing that he's being hired as a strikebreaker. He takes the job primarily because of a pretty girl who lives in the town. The superintendent and manager of the mine convince Rainboldt to blow up the mine and make it appear like the strikers did it. But Rainboldt turns the tables on the plotters and reveals their scheme. The mine owner rewards him with a big assignment and the girl promises to marry him.

A silent Western about a rough rider, that winds up in jail and the adventure begins.

John Wesley Pringle, adventurer at large, returns home after making his strike and finds his old girl friend, Stella, engaged to Christopher Foy, who is running for sheriff. Pringle foils an attempt by incumbent sheriff Matt Lisner to kill Foy, but when Foy is accused of a murder, Pringle, in a clever ruse, captures Foy, holds the posse at gunpoint, and then releases him, explaining his motive.

Coming upon a burning cabin, David Brent discovers the body of Jim Drew, who had been killed in a fight with a drunken Indian. Brent finds in Drew's pocket a letter announcing the impending arrival of Drew's daughter Lorelei. Feeling an obligation to Drew, who once saved his life, Brent journeys to San Francisco to meet Lorelei, who mistakes him for her father. Brent cannot bring himself to break the bad news to her and does not correct her false assumption.