Goblin Valley State Park | Green River

Goblin Valley State Park, tucked between the San Rafael Reef and the Henry Mountains in south-central Utah, feels like stepping into a landscape dreamed up by imagination rather than geology. The valley stretches out in a maze of bizarre, mushroom-shaped sandstone formations-thousands of them-known affectionately as “goblins.” These whimsical rock figures, sculpted by 170 million years of wind and water erosion, make the park one of Utah’s most surreal and playful destinations.

Landscape and Geology
The park’s goblins, also called hoodoos, are composed mainly of Entrada Sandstone, a soft red rock that was once part of an ancient tidal flat. Over time, erosion carved the softer material away, leaving the harder, resistant caps perched on thinner stems. The result is an otherworldly panorama of rounded towers, domes, and squat pillars-some resembling faces, creatures, or entire cities frozen in stone. The colors shift subtly with the light: rich orange-browns at dawn, glowing copper under the midday sun, and soft rose at sunset.

From the overlook near the main parking area, visitors gaze down into a vast amphitheater crowded with these formations-a sprawling “goblin city” that invites exploration. Unlike most parks where trails are strict, here visitors are encouraged to wander freely among the formations, creating their own paths through the labyrinth.

Visitor Experience
Walking through Goblin Valley feels both intimate and endless. The soft desert floor, the echo of footsteps between the stone figures, and the endless shapes emerging at every turn create a sense of adventure. Children and adults alike find themselves climbing, ducking, and weaving through the maze as if exploring a natural playground. Many travelers describe the park as “Mars on Earth,” a comparison that led to scenes from several films, including Galaxy Quest, being shot here.

For longer exploration, nearby trails such as the Carmel Canyon Loop and Goblin’s Lair Trail reveal deeper perspectives of the valley. Goblin’s Lair, a large hidden chamber on the park’s east side, requires some scrambling but rewards with a cool, shadowed cavern lit by a shaft of daylight cutting through the rock ceiling-a striking contrast to the sunlit goblin fields outside.

Camping and Night Sky
Goblin Valley’s small campground offers one of Utah’s most memorable desert stays. The campsites sit among slickrock formations, giving each an isolated, almost private feel. As night falls, the park’s remoteness becomes its greatest gift: the Milky Way spills across the sky in brilliant clarity, undimmed by any light pollution. Goblin Valley is an officially designated International Dark Sky Park, making stargazing here unforgettable.

Cultural and Historical Context
Though no large Native American settlements were known within the valley itself, the surrounding region holds Fremont and Ancestral Puebloan rock art and archaeological remnants. The first recorded non-Native explorers to note Goblin Valley were cowboys in the late 1920s, who stumbled upon it while searching for cattle. The area remained little known until it was officially designated a state park in 1964.

Atmosphere and Micro-Details
The air carries the faint scent of dust and juniper, and the heat radiates off the red rock in shimmering waves. A gentle breeze stirs through the formations, creating whispers that echo softly in the narrow spaces between the goblins. Tiny lizards dart between shadows, and in spring, small desert wildflowers bloom in defiant splashes of yellow and white among the rust-colored stones.

Goblin Valley State Park remains a place of both wonder and simplicity-a desert landscape that invites curiosity, laughter, and quiet awe. Whether you wander for an hour or stay through the night, it feels like entering a natural sculpture garden where time, wind, and imagination have been at work for millions of years.