Jeremiah Johnson (Robert Redford) is a disenchanted war veteran who escapes into the mountains, becoming a mountain man. His time as a hermit is less than successful and he struggles to survive, particularly given the presence of Native Americans who are wary and distrustful of white settlers. Several tribes live throughout the area. He finds help in the form of an older mountain man (Will Geer), who tutors him in survival basics. Soon, Johnson is ready to set out on his own. Just as he is prepared for life alone, he encounters a boy who has survived an Indian attack. He offers to adopt him. Later, to avoid problems with another tribe, Johnson agrees to marry a chief’s daughter. The interference and complications continue when government soldiers seek his assistance as a guide. Johnson unwittingly takes them through a native burial area, which precipitates a long, ongoing conflict with the tribe.