Tips for visiting Goblin Valley State Park

Goblin Valley State Park is unlike any other state park you will ever visit. The geological formations are unique and strange and you will feel like you have landed on another planet. Goblin Valley is part of the San Rafael Swell, a massive anticline that was uplifted about 40-70 millions years ago. The hoodoos were formed by gradual erosion of the sandstone. This weathering is still happening today and eventually will expand the goblin landscape.The name Goblin Valley comes from the hoodoos in the park. They are shaped like mushrooms and resemble little “goblins”. There are three valleys to explore in this park as well as caves, bike trails and a campground. It is a great place to wander and explore with kids. They can pick their own paths and decide what to climb and where to go. If you want more information on this amazing state park, keep reading.

Goblin Valley is a desert and so it is hard to survive for many plants and wildlife. Many animals will be seen after the sun is set as it gets so hot here during the summer. If you are lucky and looking you might be able to see kangaroo rats, pronghorn, kit foxes, rattlesnakes, jackrabbits, scorpions and coyotes in the area in and around the park.

Where is Goblin Valley State Park?

Goblin Valley is situated between Moab and Capitol Reef making it a great place to take and break and visit. It isn’t a large state park and you could explore it in a couple of hours if you're short on time. You could also take a couple of days in the area and explore the park and other trails around like Little Wild Horse slot canyon that is 6 miles away.

Moab/Arches: 1 hour 35 minutes, 102 miles

Capitol Reef:1 hour 16 minutes, 61 miles

Where to Stay

There are no hotels near Goblin Valley so it is recommended to either stay in the Moab/Capitol Reef area or my favorite option is to camp. The campground at Goblin Valley is small and does book up months in advance. There are 24 sites as well as a group site and two yurts that are very popular to reserve. If you aren’t able to snag one of these sites no worries right outside of the park are tons of free camping sites on the blm land. Some of the roads getting back to these sites are rough, but we saw many big rvs and campers that made it back fine. We were able to get a great secluded spot right outside of the park. We got to our campsite around 6 p.m. on a Friday at the end of March. There were still some sites left but they were definitely harder to get to. Many of these sites have fire rings, but nothing else. You will need to bring your own water, food, bathroom, trash, etc and pack it all back out again when you go to leave.

To get to these free campsites you just need to exit Goblin Valley and take a left when you get to the dead end, toward Little Wild Horse trailhead. For the next couple miles you will see dirt roads that lead toward the large orange cliff walls that surround the park. From the main road you will be able to see people camping and if a campsite is free to go back. They are all first come first serve, so getting there earlier in the day will help secure your spot.

Hiking in Goblin Valley State Park

When visiting Goblin Valley exploring through the Valley of Goblins is an absolute must. My kids spent hours running around and climbing among the rocks and it was even freezing the day we went. Every rock formation is different and around every corner is something new to see. It might seem a little overwhelming that there isn’t a trail but you can always see the parking lot no matter where you are in the Valley. In the back of the Valley are large orange and white sandstone walls. We did not go any further than Valley 1 and 2 on our trip. If you have kids this is a perfect place to just let them have fun and run around without having to get to a certain end point.

Trails in the Park

The Three Sisters

• Distance: 250 yards

• Route Type: Out and Back

• Difficulty: Easy

Caramel Canyon

• Distance: 1.2 miles

• Route Type: Loop

• Difficulty: Moderate

Goblin’s Lair

• Distance: 2.3 miles

• Route Type: Out and Back

• Difficulty: Moderate

Entrada Canyon

• Distance: 2.6 miles

• Route Type: Out and Back

• Difficulty: Moderate

Curtis Bench

• Distance: 2.1

• Route Type: Out and Back

• Difficulty: Easy

Things to Know about Goblin Valley

• It cost $20 to enter Goblin Valley State park and the pass is good for two days

• Camping is only allowed in designated areas

• The park is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. all year round

• Bicycling is permitted on established public roads and in the Wild Horse Mountain Biking Trail System. They are not permitted on hiking trails and in the Valley of Goblins.

• Pets are allowed but must be on a leash

• It is unlawful to mutilate the hoodoos or petroglyphs. Please keep the park beautiful for everyone visiting.

• The park can be dangerous due to flash floods, so when there is a thunderstorm seek shelter.

When to visit

I would say the best time of year to come to Goblin Valley is in the Spring and Fall. The summer months get very hot and dry here as it is a desert area. It can get critically hot very fast and the landscape does not offer much shade while exploring.

The best time for photography would be in the golden hours of sunrise and sunset. The light is beautiful on the red sandstone formations, but they are also just as beautiful during the day. While I did not get to do any night photography Goblin Valley is a certified dark sky park. It has one of the darkest skies on earth, because it is virtually free from any light pollution. It is a great place to explore after dark when it is the Milky Way season.

In the Area

A quick drive down the road is another wonderful hike you can complete while you are visiting the area. Little Wild Horse Canyon Trail is less than 10 miles from the entrance to Goblin Valley. It is either an 8 mile loop trail that winds through slot canyons or you can do just an out and back hike turning around at any point. We did out and back the day we went because at the end of March there was still a lot of frozen water in the narrower sections. I would say this a more difficult hike for young children because of the large rocks you have to climb but it is fun for them if you have adventurous kids or don't mind carrying them up the trickier parts.

Final thoughts

I think I had just as much fun as the kids climbing around the hoodoos. This park might be small but it is super fun and has a lot to offer. It is the perfect place to bring children and just let them be free and have fun. If you are making a stop between the national parks it's a great place to stretch your legs and get great photos with minimal effort. I would definitely recommend this park to anyone who has a little extra time to explore and loves to see wild otherworldly landscapes.