In this paper I propose that the desert is a recurring and relevant spatial imaginary theme in the recent Argentinian and Chilean narrative, which is assigned with a range of different meanings, such as hell, the wild, the cemetery and cultural depth. For this purpose I analyze its representation in some stories published in recent years, including Los detectives salvajes y 2666 de Roberto Bolaño, El desierto de Carlos Franz y El año del desierto de Pedro Mairal.