goblin valley state park

Recently rented Yurt 2 for a night so I could participate in the Full Moon Hike through the goblins during the March 2015 full moon. I was totally impressed at the size and comfort of the yurt from the moment I arrived. You can park close to this yurt but it is right on the road (Yurt 1 is up the hill a bit, and is more private). I was worried that it was so close to the road but since this is the end of the road there was almost zero traffic. It's also close to the pit toilet; the flush toilets and showers are in the main campground.The deck is part handicap ramp, part party deck. railing all along, it would easily fit a small group outside for eating and enjoying the views which were spectacular! You can't see the goblins from here, but you can see the San Rafael Reef and Molly's Castle. On a clear day I'm sure you could see the LaSal's. The yurt provides two deck chairs and a large propane grill for cooking with. We didn't use it (staying only one night!) but I bet it's nice.Inside the yurt you have a fold down futon couch and a full/twin bunk bed. A nice 4 person table and chairs in the center. With the propane heater even the 20 degree night didn't give us pause. There is a swamp cooler for summer. A large ceiling fan and light above gave us plenty of light and moved the warm air around. It was fabulous!They are completely off the grid in Goblin Valley, so all power is provided by a large solar system in the park. There was plenty of power to charge your phone and light up for dinner. Outside is a full size picnic table and nice fire pit. They sell wood at the visitor's center.It would be a decent walk to the goblins but on the way I saw a frisbee golf course set up on the hills above the campground. The ranger also told us about some new bike trails they are putting in this spring that sound like a really nice idea.The goblins? They look exactly the same as they did on my last visit! But it was still fun, and the full moon hike should not be missed. Watching the sun set and then the moon rise over the goblins is really fun. Give the Yurt a try if you're looking for a smidge of comfort while playing at Goblin Valley or in the Swell.

Great place to have fun! Took our 4, 2 and 15 month old here and had a blast. Many places easy enough for kids to hike and some harder places to climb over rocks and explore the valleys. We took a daytrip here especially even though it meant driving 6 hours total and it was totally worth it. It is crazy to me that people would give this 3 stars - such cool rock formations that you are allowed to explore as much as you want - our kids absolutely loved it and in spite of our kids' young ages, we hiked around for 3.5 hours and could have easily enjoyed exploring all the canyons for another couple days. We have been before and will be back. If you enjoy simple yet rewarding hikes, this place is for you, with or without kids.

Goblin Valley is a little out of the way and off the beaten path, but it is well worth taking the time to visit this amazing little valley. It is unlike anything you will ever see anywhere else in the world. The best time to go is in the morning, or later in the afternoon so that you can enjoy all the amazing features of this wonderful little park. Go visit it, I promise you will be impressed. Take the time to walk down into the park. Be sure and bring drinking water, it will make the visit much better.

We visited on our way out to Moab. We stopped and had a picnic lunch under the pavilion, then hiked down among the crazy looking hoodoos for about an hour with our two little girls, ages 5 & 2. They loved being able to run around and climb the hills and smaller rocks. It was nice not having to worry about any dangerous drop offs, though we had them stay within eyesight just in case - which wasn't far since there are tall rocks everywhere. We all had fun hiking across the valley and would like to go back to explore some more, maybe even doing the Goblin's Lair hike.

Great place, gorgeous. But wait until the light 'pops' aka dusk, or early in the morning. It transforms the place...

Such a beautiful place! There are 3 short hiking trails that were fun to explore. If you are in the area it's worth checking out!

Yes they do look like Goblins and Toad stools and many other shapes. Almost alien but very cool. We just made a quick stop on the way to Bryce Canyon. But they have a nice overlook with some stairs down into the valley. I highly encourage you to take a walk amongst the Goblins. Take some time to do some funny poses. It is a great place to kick back and have fun.

We stopped here on our way from Capitol Reef to Moab and it looked unusual enough that we had to check it out. There is a fee to gain entrance as it is a state park, but it is worth it. Not very crowded, which was nice. I went with my family- two adults and two older teens. We enjoyed ourselves, but this would be even more fun if you had young children. It is basically a free-for-all in the valley- you can climb on whatever you want, wander wherever you want and do any sort of goofy family picture that you can imagine. We wandered around in Valley 1 for about one hour and walked all the way to the far side of the valley where you could see some of the "goblins" forming. And on our climb out, I definitely saw E.T. A weird stop, but very enjoyable. Great for families/young kids!

GOBLIN VALLEY STATE PARK (UTAH’S HIDDEN BYWAYS V) When I think of some of the most bizarre, totally un-worldly, places in Utah that I have visited, I think of GOBLIN VALLEY STATE PARK. This small park, tucked away in the San Rafael Swell in the middle of nowhere, has to rank high among the oddball facilities. It is so weird that it was used as a scenic backdrop for a 1990’s science fiction movie (i.e. GALAXY QUEST). It is also infernally HOT and DRY. The approach to Goblin Valley State Park can be made from the west via Capitol Reef National Park or from the north via Inter-state 70 at exit 149. Since I always use this state park as a way-station in our transition from Capitol Reef National Park to Arches/Canyonlands National Parks, I will start at the Visitor’s Center of Capitol Reef National Park (i.e. See TripAdvisor-Capitol Reef National Park –Hidden Byways IV by ALASKASEEKER for a review of that park). Before continuing, I would like to point out to all readers that there are delicate formations within Goblin Valley State Park provided to us by nature. They can be viewed, photographed, walked around, and gently touched with great care. VANDALISM OF ANY TYPE IS PROHIBITED! We were informed that a rock formation (i.e. Hoodoo) was intentionally tipped over as a blatant act of destruction in 2013. These formations have taken many thousands of years to form. Enjoy them and leave them standing for other generations to enjoy, for they are passing through time as we are. Take pictures, enjoy the view, and leave only footprints behind. If you are staying in the Capitol Reef National Park region, you will proceed EAST on UTAH SR24 and leave the park. A few miles further on, you will encounter some of the most barren, desolate, and monochromatic landscape that you have ever seen. It is as if one were driving in a moon landscape. As you continue east on UTAH SR24, the surrounding area changes to a ranchland vista. Keep an eye to your left for some amazing mesas and buttes, including Factory Butte (see images). Soon you will arrive at the town of Hanksville, where you will make a left turn at the traffic light and continue on Route 24N for an additional 12 miles. Keep an eye open for the turn-off for Goblin Valley State Park on your LEFT, which is the one you want. A right hand turn off Route 24N will take you onto a road leading to the Maze area of Canyonlands National Park, which is NOT your destination. After making a LEFT off UTAH SR24, proceed in on the paved road for about 4-5 miles until you reach a junction. Make a left at the marked junction and drive to Goblin Valley State Park. There is an entrance kiosk and fee. Continue driving to the Goblin Valley overlook, where you will find a Ramada (i.e. a partially covered enclosure) and a parking area. This area has outhouses and picnic facilities, as well as the rim view of the Hoodoos of Goblin valley. This area is also shaded from the hot sun and provides a good photographic viewpoint of the strange rock formations below. I prefer the morning lighting. If you want to descend into the valley, and the weather conditions are dry, veer to your right while facing the valley. Be sure that you have water and sensible footgear on this slope. There is access to the valley floor, and the hoodoos. Feel free to wander, view, and photograph these odd geologic wonders. You will find them to be of all shapes, sizes, and hues of brown.Remember that they took eons to form, so treat them with care and respect. This area is worth about an hour of your time. Upon returning to your vehicle and proceeding out of the park, you will arrive at the road junction again. Making a RIGHT here and proceed back to UTAH SR24. At route 24, make a left if you are heading for Interstate 70 at Exit 149. If you reach the aforementioned road junction and make a left, this will put you on the Temple Mountain Road going deeper into the San Rafael Swell. Four wheel drive, a good map, supplies, and water are required here. The roads (i.e. dirt track) can get confusing up here, so have a good map. Two of the features of this area are Hondu Arch high on the ridge and Tomsich Butte. Which ever way you wander, have a safe and enjoyable time. ALASKASEEKER

A photographer friend of mine and his wife recommended Goblin Valley as a stop on my way back to Califronia from Colorado. I'm SO glad I took there advice. The hoodoos are bizarrely wonderful, and walking around the valley floor is a great experience, especially at sunset when the formations start glowing in the evening light. I was also pleasantly surprised at the facilities. My tent site was equipped with a sheltered picnic table and a fire pit and the nearby restrooms were the cleanest I've seen in a park in quite some time. It is located in the middle of nowhere and you should bring in your own food, etc if you're camping. The nearest hotels/motels are a ways away, but not so far that they aren't a real option if you don't want to camp. Campsites fill fast, so book ahead if you can. I booked online and it cost $28 for a tent site. Also, sunblock and plenty of water are highly recommended.

August 2014 visit. My 4th time here. Fascinating landscape - always seems to change with seasons and time of day. The hoodoos and other formations are just too cool for amateurs like me to describe. If it was located anywhere other than Utah it would be National Park Status worthy!This year as I went for an early morning photoshoot (best light is early morning or early evening) and ended up waling all the way around the major formations. I took the trail from the main parking lot back to the Goblins Lair and then just extended the trail across the backside of the formation. I ended up climbing one of the back ridges for a spectacular photo op which I got and upon starting down a tricky "naughty boys trail" I slipped and took a 25' fall. Thank goodness I landed on the soft eroded out soil rather than the hard rock a foot or two above me. Big time ouch - ended up taking myself to Green River Hospital for x-rays, etc. No real damage other than 'road rash' and a black eye. Make sure you come prepared to this remote place. Extra water , sun protection are always good ideas out here. Consider a trip out of here thru the San Rafael swell back out to the freeway eventually (40 mile remote trip - mixed old pavement and good gravel road).Awesome places but remote so be prepared!!

The state park has formations similar to the ones at Bryce Canyon, but of smaller scale. However, combined with the slot canyons nearby, they made a nice focal point for the trip.

For years my parents have told me of this place. WOW It was an explorers dream. You can walk around, touch, take pictures Use your imagination. Not recommended when it is hot. Winter time is also enjoyable to see the figures as they now have some snow and look so different. We stayed at the campground. There is a shaded cover for the table. Beautiful view around you. No trees or privacy if you want it. There are three sections to walk through. We did two of the three. If you like to take pictures this is your spot. I took over a thousand. My husband and I are in our 50's we were like kids again. This was amazing!!!!! We were there for 2 days for the sunset and the next day for sunrise.

This amazing natural attraction is worth the side trip off of highway 70. The first time I was here there was no entrance fee, campground, or even a ranger for that matter! Still, the natural enviroment has been preserved for a lot of fun wandering around to see the unusual shapes and colors. There are lots of trails and a viewing platform with a metal gazebo and tables near the parking lot for picnicing. Pit toilet bathrooms too. Just don't come in summer. It would be miserably hot. $8 entrance fee.

I used to go hear in college 20 years ago. It is better with kids. We spent 2 whole days literally climbing around. Our kids are 4 & 9. The nine year old was able to feel accomplished in climbing larger stuff while the younger one was enthralled with all the small places she could fit into. The camp ground was nothing too special but adequate. I would recommend the camps in the back closer to the hills.