Goblin Valley State Park

Goblin Valley State Park is located 33 miles south of Hanksville, UT will provide hours of enjoyment to hikers of all ages. Named after the thousands of unusual rock formations which resemble goblins, one can explore around the goblins in the valley which offers great opportunities to let your children run around while you keep track of them from the pavilion.

Goblin Valley Hike Details

Distance – 1 mile
Approximate hiking time – 1 hour
Elevation at Goblin Valley – 5098 feet
Difficulty – Easy
Trail – no marked trail, you can go anywhere in Goblin Valley
Amount of water recommended – 2 liters
Bathrooms – Located at the trailhead
Season to hike – All year around
Permits – Park entrance fee is $10
Pets allowed – Yes

How to get there

If coming from Las Vegas, head north on I-15 to I-70 and go east on I-70 for 155 miles. Take exit 149 and head south on UT Hwy 24. Stay on UT Hwy 24 south for about 23.5 miles. Turn right at the sign that says Goblin Valley State Park, onto Temple Mountain Road, follow it for 5.3 miles, and turn left onto Goblin Valley Road. Follow it for 6.5 miles to the ranger station. Park entrance was $7 per vehicle. After leaving the park entrance, the road will “T”. Turn left and head about 0.5 miles to the Goblin Valley Parking area.

If coming from Salt Lake City, head south on I-15 and near Spanish Fork, take the Hwy 6/Price exit, heading southeast. Stay on Hwy 6 through Price, UT, and all the way down to I-70 which will be for about 125 miles. Head west on I-70, and take exit 149 south onto Hwy 24. Stay on UT Hwy 24 south for about 23.5 miles. Turn right at the sign that says Goblin Valley State Park, onto Temple Mountain Road, follow it for 5.3 miles, and turn left onto Goblin Valley Road. Follow it for 6.5 miles to the ranger station. Park entrance was $7 per vehicle. After leaving the park entrance, the road will “T”. Turn left and head about 0.5 miles to the Goblin Valley Parking area.

Children and adults love to run and hide amongst the ‘goblins.’

Hitting the Trail!

Once you’ve reached the parking area, you’ll see a pavilion that oversees most of Goblin Valley. One of the interesting facts about Goblin Valley is that it features virtually no vegetation down among the goblins. A great place to play hide and seek if you’re a child, or a relaxing hike through goblins back to the lime colored formations that border the back of Goblin Valley. If you do hike out of the main valley and out of sight of the pavilion, it is very easy to get disoriented. Luckily, the pavilion makes for an excellent landmark. This is the one park where it is not illegal to climb and scale the rock formations, although this could change in the next couple of years due to the deterioration of the goblins Erosion is prevalent in Goblin Valley, evidenced by some collapsed goblins. There is some excellent camping nearby as well. If the Goblin Valley State Park campground is full, you can head back outside of the park and take a left onto a dirty road just past the park entrance Wild Horse Butte is the imposing formation directly in front of you. You’ll find dozens of off shoots leaving the dirty road for campsites at the base of the butte. This road also will lead you to Little Wild Horse Canyon, a wonderful slot canyon, that will be featured on this website as well, and is an excellent place to visit in conjunction with Goblin Valley.

What should you bring?