The valley was filmed for A New Hope scenes. These were mostly pick up shots that were scheduled for Tunisia, but had to be filmed nearer to home because the production went over budget.
A shot at Stovepipe Wells was taken as R2-D2 drives the Dune Sea on the way to Ben Kenobi's hut only to be picked up by Jawas just before he finds Ben. There was a shot filmed at Artist's Palette of R2-D2 as he sped down the Jundland Wastes canyon to try, again, to find Ben Kenobi's hut. A shot at Dante's View was cut together with a shot at Sidi Bouhlel for a scene where Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi gaze over Mos Eisley. Mardji the Asian elephant was filmed at Desolation Canyon with a costume to look like a bantha in Jundland Wastes. Numerous shots of Mark Hamill's double in his landspeeder were also taken somewhere in Death Valley as he tries to locate R2-D2. The only shot for Return of the Jedi was filmed in the canyon nicknamed Twenty Mule Team Canyon where R2-D2 and C-3PO go to Jabba's Palace.