In a treehouse at the edge of Castle Rock, a small Oregon town, budding 12-year-old writer Gordie is about to begin an extraordinary trek into the heart of the northwestern forest. His best friend Vern has overheard his older brother and a friend talking about their discovery of a dead body in the woods. Hoping they can get credit for finding the body, Gordie sets off with insecure, frightened Vern, tough guy Chris and daredevil Teddy on an adventure that becomes an odyssey of self-discovery.