Goblin Valley
State Park
Goblin Valley State Park is a
cool place to visit...
Discover personally-selected recommendations !
photo by Howard A. Knudsen (Copyright 2005)
The scenery of Goblin Valley State Park looks so unearthly... visitors may wonder if they are on Earth or Mars. You may recognize it as the alien-planet scenery in the Hollywood movie Galaxy Quest.
For kids, the hike through Goblin Valley is like a big Easter egg hunt with a different prize... who can find the creepiest-looking goblin.
copyright 2005 by Howard Knudsen |
The valley is only about a mile across and two miles long, which makes for a great hiking adventure for kids and adults.
While writing this narrative and looking through the photos from our last visit, my 10-year old daughter said:
"Goblin Valley was my favorite place to visit... other than amusement parks!"
In fact, she is trying to convince me to go again next weekend.
Bring lots of water as this is a desert climate. Temperatures in the Summer months heat up to 95 to 105oF.
When it got hot we were happy to find a shady cove in the side of this cliff.
copyright 2005 by Howard Knudsen |
As you hike through the labyrinth of goblins in this valley, you may feel like you are discovering them for the first time... because the footsteps of previous visitors only last until the next storm.
copyright 2005 by Howard Knudsen |
The picture below shows one of my favorite formations that I like to call Kissing Goblins.
copyright 2005 by Howard Knudsen |
To the left of the kissing goblins in the picture above, there is a shady pavilion with picnic tables over-looking the valley. We watched our kids playing in the valley below as we set-up lunch and relaxed in the shade of this observation shelter.
In the warm months, hikers can stay overnight at the campgrounds.
We wished we could have camped here, but we decided to go on short notice and all of the 21 camp sites were booked up.
The campground has hot showers, restrooms and handicap access and there is a sanitary dump station for trailers and motorhomes.
Adjacent to the park, off-highway vehicle enthusiasts will find hundreds of miles of dirt roads to explore.
The park is a photographer's paradise. I had a hard time choosing from my vast number of good pictures to put on this page.
Goblin Valley State Park Information:
Fees - $5.00 per day per vehicle
Season/Hours - Open year round, 24 hours a day
Visitor Center - none
Elevation - 5200 feet
Holiday Closures: None
Day Visits: $6
Camping: $15
Location: The park is located 24 miles south on Highway 24 from I-70,
part of the San Rafael Swell, 225 miles from Salt Lake City.
Services: Observation outlook, picnic tables, 21-site
campground with full services, restrooms and handicap access.
Climate: Average daytime highs in the summer average between 90 and 105°F, though the
low humidity, high elevation, and sparse vegetation allow evenings to cool off
rapidly to about 50°F. Winters see colder temperatures and occasional snow, with
temperatures above freezing most days but often dropping as low as 10°F at
night. The average precipitation is less than 8 inches.
Place an incoming link at:
Wikipedia info on this state park
Suggestions:
1. Bring plenty of water (a gallon per person per day).
2. If you're planning a day trip, bring a lunch to eat at the pavilion.
3. Camping Reservations may be made by calling Utah State Parks and Recreation, (801) 322-3770 in the Salt Lake City calling area or toll-free 800 322-3770, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Click this link to make online camping reservation.
4. Spring and fall are the best times to visit, due to intense heat during summer months (June through August).
5. Bring your camera to take some great pictures.
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