aka – Epsilon Gorniar II
One of the most unique state parks in Utah is Goblin Valley State Park. As with most of the Utah state parks, it is also pet friendly. The park is located 50 miles south of Green River and 12 miles north of Hanksville off highway 24 in the San Rafael Desert.
Where did the goblins come from?
Goblin Valley was sculpted by wind and water erosion after the uplift of the deposits from an inland sea 170 million years ago. Composed of Entrada sandstone, the goblins are mushroom shaped hoodoos. The park had a brush with stardom when it was used for the filming of the Gorginak scene in Galaxy Quest. A statue of Gorginak used to stand in the visitor center, but after many years was removed.
What to do at Goblin Valley?
Camping
The park isn’t close to much so staying there is a great option if you want to actually see or do anything. The campground has 25 spots, 10 are for tents, 14 are for RV’s and 1 for groups up to 35 people. The RV sites don’t have hookups but here is water and a dump station. All the sites have a fire ring, picnic table and shade shelter. Flush toilets and showers are also available. Reservations are available but not required.
The shade shelters are extremely welcome during the summer when temperatures can be >100 degrees.
Hiking
There are 5 marked trails totaling 6 miles. The best way to experience the park is to roam freely through the 3 square miles of the Valley of the Goblins, which is accessible from Observation Point. The area is sand which can get extremely hot in the day so be prepared with foot protection for your dog and don’t forget to carry lots of water. We usually choose to explore the free roaming area after dark. The park was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2015. If you do decide to explore at night be sure to carry extra flashlights.
Outside the park, but nearby is a slot canyon hike called Little Wild Horse Canyon. It can be a little technical for Great Danes. There are some rocks to climb over and the slot gets more narrow the farther you go. We had to stop when it got too narrow for K’Ehleyr to fit through. I mentioned it in the post “Great Dane Hiking“.
Mountain Biking
Disc Golf
The Wild Horse trail system consists of seven miles of bike trails divided into 5 loops. See the map above for the trail system.
The park also offers a free, 9 hole disc golf course in the vicinity of the campground. Disc rentals are available at the visitor center.
When to visit
We have only had the chance to visit in the summer when daytime temperatures are 90-100’s and nighttime in the mid-60s. Spring and Fall are much more comfortable but the weather can change rapidly to include high winds, rain, hail and occasionally snow. Winter nighttime temperatures are often single digits but are above freezing during the day.
Goblin Valley State Park is a bit out of the way but well worth the trip.
Interactive map for the area
