Imperial Sand Dunes
Mammoth Wash - Glamis/Gecko - Buttercup Valley
Star Wars Film Site - Return of the Jedi
A long, long time ago, in a desert not that far away.... I sat in the driver's seat of my Jeep with my son Jim and Dave Adams, headed deep into the Mojave Desert of southeastern California. It was a beautiful day, and the temperature was well above 90°F as we sped east along Interstate 8 .
We had heard rumors that there was a huge space ship out in the desert near Yuma, Arizona. Rumor had it that it had been built for the filming of "Return of the Jedi," the third movie of the "Star Wars Trilogy." Would we be able to see it? Could we find it with the limited information we had? As we approached the Imperial Sand Dunes, our excitement rose to a fever pitch. We entered the Dunes area and headed for Buttercup Valley, a flat depression completely surrounded by sand dunes.
Clip from the film
Suddenly, there it was! Big as life, looming above us in that strange and wonderful landscape. It was very easy to get to! A week later, it was gone. All that remains are the photos we took that day, and of course, "The Return of the Jedi" movie.
Rear View
Story and photos by Jim Bremner
Overview - Description - Star Wars Film Site - Plank Road - Motels
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DesertUSA is a comprehensive resource about the North American deserts and Southwest destinations. Learn about desert biomes while you discover how desert plants and animals learn to adapt to the harsh desert environment. Study desert landscapes and how the geologic features unique to the desert regions are formed. Find travel information about national parks, state parks, BLM land, and Southwest cities and towns located in or near the desert regions of the United States. Access maps and information about the Sonoran Desert, Mojave Desert, Great Basin Desert, and Chihuahuan Desert, which lie in the geographic regions of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, and Utah in the United States and into Mexico.
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Road Trips Videos
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