The 1971 Steven Spielberg film “Duel” was shot in Southern California, mainly in and around the high desert north of Los Angeles.
Main filming area
Most of the highway and desert-road sequences were filmed around the communities of Acton, Agua Dulce, Canyon Country, and Santa Clarita, California. Key roads used include Sierra Highway, Soledad Canyon Road, Agua Dulce Canyon Road, and stretches of Route 14 in the Angeles National Forest.
Specific notable locations
The gas station and laundromat stop was filmed in Acton, just off Route 14, while “Chuck’s Cafe” is a real location on Sierra Highway in the Agua Dulce/Santa Clarita area. The opening scenes start in Toluca Lake and downtown Los Angeles before the story moves out to these desert and canyon roads.
