Goblin Valley is named for the mushroom-shaped "hoodoos" dotting the 3,654 acre landscape. This state park, located in southern Utah, is a haven for hikers, photographers and families wanting to explore this geological playground. As a matter of fact, the 1999 movie "Galaxy Quest" was filmed, in part, at Goblin Valley. You can spend as little as an hour hiking the goblins and spires, or you can plan to stay longer and visit some of the nearby attractions, such as Arches National Park and Canyonlands. Read on to learn visit Goblin Valley State Park.
Instructions
1. Plant the visit. Summer visitors can expect daytime temperatures to soar near 100 degrees F and intense thunderstorms can threaten unexpectedly. Winter can give the hoodoos an interesting look with a dusting of snow. Visitors during the colder months should dress warm as temperatures can drop below freezing. If you are a fair weather hiker, try visiting during the fall or spring.
2. Arrange transportation. Goblin Valley is located nearly four hours from Salt Lake City International Airport. If planning on flying, you can fly into Salt Lake City and travel by car to Goblin Valley. Another option is to take a charter plane from Salt Lake City into Moab, which is about one hour and 45 minutes away. Moab is the home to Arches National Park and close to Canyonlands for some added sightseeing.
3. Make reservations. Goblin Valley has a 25-unit campground and sites can accommodate large motor homes. Each site has a grill and picnic table. There are hot showers, modern restrooms,and an RV dump station. Campsites can be reserved in advance or on a first come, first served basis. If you would like to stay in a hotel, you will need to travel a bit because of Goblin Valley's remote location. Green River, about an hour away, has several hotel options.
4. If you are planning to camp during your stay at Goblin Valley, claim your camping spot upon arrival if you don't have reservations.
5. Walk to the covered observation deck to get a view of the hoodoos and to read about Goblin Valley's geology on the information placards. This is also a good time to lather on some sunscreen and fill up water bottles.
6. Hike down into the goblin maze and be prepared to do some exploring. Visitors enjoy scrambling to the tops of the hoodoos and spires. Families enjoy playing hide-and-go-seek; some even like to play the game with flashlights on a summer night. A game of "Capture the Flag" can be exciting among the towering mushroom-like shapes.
Tags: Goblin Valley, Lake City, Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, about hour
