Robert (Bob) Leslie, a Vietnam veteran goes to the remote homeland of a fallen comrade to deliver his personal effects to his father, a First Nations chief and shaman. He is taken with the beauty of the west and decides to stay a while to find himself.
Bob finds three orphaned cubs and begins to raise them, with the intent of teaching them to be independent. However, in the process he grows attached to them, causing him to waver in his determination to release them back into the wild.
Meanwhile, the indigenous population faces eviction by the federal government, which wants to build facilities in the part of the national park where they reside. Bob tries several times to speak to the park board on their behalf, but his ignorance of Native history leads to conflict between him and his friend's people. Some register evident frustration, while others resist the authorities' intent with threats of violence. As the tension escalates, one man turns his anger towards Bob and attacks his home and the bears, leading to a forest fire that endangers the park and its inhabitants, human and animal.
As he comes to understand the wisdom of his friend's father and the danger the bears face, Bob realizes he must push the bears away.
The film's score was written by Buddy Baker. The film features one original song, "Sweet Surrender", written and performed by John Denver. The song plays during the film's opening credits, as well as during an interlude as Bob begins to bond with the three bear cubs.
