Bert Lane and Margery Murray are in love, but her aunt insists she marry either a society man or a hero, so his hands decide that he will be a made-to-order hero - but society man Fred Van Ralt keeps getting the credit.
The Utah Kid was a late entry in Monogram's "Trail Blazers" series. These low-budget westerns usually featured three cowboy stars; this time, however, there are only two, Bob Steele and Hoot Gibson. Though neither star is a spring chicken, Steele is the younger of the two, so he's the "Utah Kid" by default. The plot, involving a gang of crooks who go around fixing rodeo results, was designed to accommodate yards and yards of stock footage.
Set in the old west, the stooges must defend their honor against the Noonan brothers, three desperadoes who want to marry the same girls the stooges are courting.
Texas Ranger Johnny, poses as a hired gunman called The Dog Town Kid in order to infiltrate the outlaw gang, to uncover a plot by a crooked lawman, Sheriff Bradley, and a large landholder, Jim Morgan against the smaller ranches and the homesteaders.
Texas Pete, a gun-man, is "extra" bad when in liquor. This, however, does not terrify the ranch foreman, who discharges him for drunkenness. Pete laces on his hardware and lurches off, with the intention of shooting up the town where he pumped in his original trouble.
When Sheriff Jeff Connor of Powder River cannot stop the crime wave, his young son, Larry, writes to the Durango Kid for aid. Taggart, the saloon owner, is the secret head of the outlaws, while Connor's brother Bill is in cahoots with him. Steve Randall, the Durango Kid, and his pal, Smiley Butterbean, arrive in time to stop a stagecoach holdup, and Steve is made a deputy sheriff. Taggart has one of his men, Slade, pose as the Durango Kid and while he is speaking to the townspeople, the rest of the outlaw gang pillages the town, and this somewhat damages the Durango Kid in the eyes of Larry and his sister Doris. Steve suggests that Sheriff Connor visit the government about a railroad project, and Taggart instructs Slade and the gang leader to kill Connor on his trip back.
Three female schoolteachers head down to a small village which has a small army detail. The village is raided for by bandits and the teachers are taken along to the bandits' camp.
Fleeced by a pair of good-time gals, the boys are unable to pay their bar tab and end up cooling their heels in jail. Once released, the two pals decide to join the army, if only to know where their next meal is coming from. They are shipped to a remote frontier outpost, which is already a hotbed of intrigue due to the commanding officer's lust for the wife of one of his officers.
Cheyenne Harry, owner of the biggest cattle ranch in his corner of the west, is having trouble with John Merritt, a land-grabbing Chicago meat-packer. By some artifice of shrewd legal aid, Merritt manages to seize Harry's ranch under a bogus writ of foreclosure. Failing to get justice by his many letters to Merritt, Cheyenne Harry goes east and calls at the millionaire's mansion. At first, Merritt refuses to see him. Then, to cause amusement for his daughter, Helen, and her guests, he invites the "uncouth" westerner into his dining hall. He is sure that he will make some grave error in table deportment and afford them all a laugh. To the amazement of Merrit and the guests Harry's table manners are faultless. Then, to trick him into an embarrassing position, Merritt eats with his knife. Harry, realizing that it is proper for the guest to follow the example of the host, does likewise. He leaves the house chagrined but more determined than ever to get justice from Merritt.
Billy, Fuzzy, and Jeff are on the run from the law again. This time they travel to a new town where Fuzzy is made Marshal. But Hardy and his outlaw gang control the town and none of the previous Marshals survived for very long.
When the local Banker jumps the Blaine's claim, they have men rob the bank to retrieve their money. When the men try to double-cross the Blains, a gunfight erupts and Jim Blaine gets away with the money. Mountie Bob McDonald gets Jim Blaine to return the money. Bob thinks the Banker was really behind the robbery and now uses the money to try and lure him into a trap.
When Ruth returns to the Bar "G" ranch after acquiring eastern polish, she chides the boys for chewing tobacco, cussing and smoking cigarettes. When Tom, the foreman, orders the boys out on the range to round up cattle they are pleased, for they are anxious to be away from Ruth's constant admonitions.
