The canyon was cut from basalt[2] lava flows and lapilli beds of the Darwin Hills volcanoes, which last erupted between two and four million years ago during the Pliocene epoch.

Formations of granite and marble (metamorphosed Paleozoic limestone), including calc-silicate hornfels occur below the lava in the deepest parts of the canyon.

[4] This variety of material created walls of reds, grey, and pink that are similar to the fictional Star Wars planet Tatooine.

[13] The marking on aviator's maps (so-called sectionals) also cautions VFR pilots and gives them a radio contact for querying status and traffic information, with the goal of allowing them to avoid intermingling Cessnas and other small general aviation aircraft with high performance fighter jets.

Unlike many other locations around Edwards Air Force Base or more secretive airfields nearby, Rainbow Canyon is not part of restricted airspace.

Star Wars Canyon "below-the-rim" activity was suspended in August 2019, after an accident killed a pilot and injured several spectators on the ground following the crash of a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet on July 31, 2019.