Happy Trails: Goblin Valley State Park Utah

Chuck and I had been hearing quite a bit about Goblin Valley State Park, so since it was just about a 90 minute ride from Torrey to Goblin Valley, we decided to check it out! We passed it on our way to Torrey UT. It is after you get off of I-70 onto Highway 24 before you get to Hanksville Utah. Pull in at mile marker 136 and proceed 12 more miles to the park entrance.

The nights we were there, June 25th and 26th,

the campground was full.

It was a pretty nice campground, boondocking only. (no hook-ups!) but they did offer nice flush toilets and great showers! Each campsite had it's own pavillion with a picnic table and fire pit for $17 per night. No discounts for seniors etc etc. The campground was nestled into the rocks and was very easy to pull into with paved level sites.

The "Goblins" were all around the campground!

STORY OF GOBLIN VALLEY

Cowboys searching for cattle were among the first to discover secluded Goblin Valley. In the 1920's, owner/operator of the Hite Ferry, Mr Arthur Chaffin and two friends were looking for an alternative route between Green River and Cainville Utah. They came to a vantage point about one mile west of Goblin Valley and were awed by what they saw - five red buttes and a valley of strange shaped rock formations. Mr Chaffin called the area "Mushroom Valley" It became a Utah State Park in 1964.

Click onto the signs to read them!

The campground is a solar facility. These panels provide electric to the rangers living quarters and to the campground restrooms.

The solar panels up on the hill pump water into the campground and rangers living quarters.

Strange shapes in the campground!

The tent sites are tucked in over by the cliffs.

GEOLOGY

The wonderful shapes at Goblin Valley result from millions of years of geologic history! The Goblins are made of Entrada Sandstone, which consists of debris eroded from former highlands and redeposited here on a tidal flat. YES! TIDAL FLAT! The Goblins show evidence of being near an ancient sea with the ebb and flow of tides, located near coastal sand dunes!

Click onto the signs to enlarge to full size

so you can read them easily.

Those two white specks near the center of the photograph are two adults walking among the Goblins! Click to enlarge the page!

My own sweet goblin! Chuck!

This is Chuck's favorite goblin! Says he looks like he is an ET who missed his flight to Roswell NM and is searching the skies for the next space ship!