Goblins Infest Utah State Park

Some of them really do look like goblins! They are made of soft sandstone, constantly eroding, changing, morphing into fantastic shapes: goblins, hoodoos, gnomes and various other apparitions from the netherworld.

The place is Goblin Valley, a Utah state park, and it is one of our premier fall play areas. It is located near Hanksville in south-central Utah, just northeast of Capitol Reef National Park. In other words it's located in the middle of nowhere, and that's part of the attraction.

The area around Goblin Valley is desert, dry barren desert. No trees. No shade. It gets blazingly hot during the summer. But the fall, ah the fall is delightful. Cool nights and warm days, ideal for camping, hiking, biking and other outdoor activities.

There is plenty to do in this fantasy world, for both children and adults. Children often squeal with delight as they run between, climb up and jump off the rocks. In all the world, there is no better place to play Capture-The-Flag. (A word of warning: While the rock is soft, it is still rock. I once lugged a Scoutmaster out of the valley after he broke a leg jumping too far from too high. Kids are usually fine; old people with brittle bones need to act their age...)

Adults usually take a low-keyed approach, relaxing on the rim while enjoying the scenery. Many stalk the goblins, camera in hand, seeking transcendent moments when rays of sunlight illuminate the stone, allowing them to capture prize photographs. Others lie on the rock and execute yoga routines, or strike sublime poses and meditate, seeking to draw power from the rock.

People have long been attracted to this valley because of the unearthly appearance of the rocks. The area was designated a Utah state park in 1964. The park offers a very nice campground with flush toilets and hot showers. The campground fills up quickly on weekends, especially during spring and fall when daytime temperatures are mild. Fall nights can be chilly in this dry desert and so campers need to bring warm sleeping bags.

Incidentally, the movie Galaxy Quest was filmed at Goblin Valley State Park because of its unique scenery.

Nearby Attractions
Several nearby attractions are also worth exploring. Temple Mountain on the edge of the San Rafael Swell offers great hiking, mountain biking and motorcycle dirt biking, and has excellent spots for primitive camping.

Little Wildhorse Canyon provides a very popular slot canyon hike suitable for families and youth groups. Other slots in this area provide challenge for more experienced hikers and seasoned canyoneers.

Other Parks
Several other Utah state parks are located in desert areas, where conditions are prime during fall. Snow Canyon, near St George, Coral Pink Sand Dunes near Kanab, Kodachrome Basin near Bryce Canyon and Dead Horse Point near Moab offer unique scenery, great hiking, biking and other recreational activities, plus nice, developed facilities. Goosenecks State Park, near Mexican Hat, has amazing scenery but no facilities or visitor services - not even drinking water.

Forgive me if I seem to boasts, but these natural wonders might well be national parks, were they located in any other state. Their unique scenery and natural attractions are on par with many areas found in America's national parks.

Fall is a superb time to visit our desert playgrounds.

- Dave Webb

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