The film purports to be footage found in the discarded cameras of three young filmmakers who had gone missing. It opens with a premise that positions the story as documentary evidence rather than a conventional narrative, inviting the viewer to piece together what happened through their own recorded materials.
In October 1994, three film students—Heather, Mike, and Josh—set out to investigate the legend of the Blair Witch. They travel to Burkittsville, Maryland, and begin their project by interviewing residents about the myth. The locals recount the disturbing tale of Rustin Parr, a reclusive hermit who, in 1941, is said to have abducted seven children and murdered them in his basement, performing a grim ritual that involved one child standing in a corner while the others were killed in pairs. The students also hear about a missing child named Robin Weaver from 1888, who returned three days later claiming to have seen an old woman whose feet never touched the ground. The folklore deepens as the group learns of Coffin Rock, a site where five men were found slaughtered in the 19th century, only for their corpses to vanish later.
As they venture into the forest in northern Burkittsville to research the myth, the trio encounters a warning from two fishermen about a curse that lingers in the trees. They move deeper into the woods, and a sense of unease quickly takes hold. They locate an old graveyard where seven small cairns stand, one of which Josh accidentally disturbs. That night, the group hears the snapping of sticks that seems to come from nowhere, a sound that becomes a persistent, chilling motif. The next day brings a renewed effort to find their way back to the car, but they become hopelessly lost, camping again as the forest seems to swallow their sense of direction.
Strange markings and noises intensify their fear. They discover more cairns built beside their tent, and Heather discovers that her map has disappeared. Mike admits he tossed the map into a creek out of frustration, a revelation that sparks an argument about responsibility and fear. The mood shifts from curiosity to dread as they realize they are wandering in circles, moving toward an almost ritualistic setting in the woods. They encounter hanging stick figures and hear unnerving sounds—laughter of children, an inhuman groan—that appear to respond directly to their presence. An unseen force unsettles the tent, forcing them to abandon sleep and seek shelter among the trees until dawn.
When they return to their campsite, their belongings are rifled through, and Josh’s equipment bears slime and other unsettling signs. A river they had crossed earlier reappears, and they realize the landscape is repeating itself in a way that confirms their disorientation. The next morning, Josh is gone, and Heather and Mike devote themselves to searching in vain. That night, they hear Josh’s agonized cries again, but they cannot locate him. A theory forms that the Blair Witch is manipulating their perceptions to pull them away from safety.
Heather makes a troubling discovery—the bundle of twigs tied with fabric from Josh’s shirt, containing a blood-soaked strip of his shirt along with teeth and hair. Though overwhelmed by grief, she withholds the grim evidence from Mike and chooses to face the ordeal alone. The next night, she records a tearful message, apologizing to Josh and Mike’s families and acknowledging that something evil is haunting them and will ultimately claim them.
The danger escalates as Josh’s voice seems to lure them toward an abandoned ruin—the ruined house once connected to Rustin Parr. Inside, they find children's bloody handprints on a wall, a chilling reminder of the folklore they pursued. They search the attic, but no one is there. Mike then follows Josh’s voice to the basement, where an unseen force violently pulls him away, causing him to drop his camera. Heather shouts for him, and her camera captures Mike standing in a corner, facing the wall in a trance or distress. She calls out to him, but he remains unresponsive. The unseen force then assaults Heather, who screams as she is overwhelmed and loses her balance. Her camera continues to roll for several more seconds, recording the horrifying moment before it cuts to black, leaving the fate of Heather, Mike, and Josh unresolved and the mystery of the Blair Witch lingering in the frame.
