An Often Overlooked State Park

Many people would consider Highway 24, which runs between Green River and Hanksville, Utah, to be a desolate stretch of highway. The road cuts across barren and dry ground. To the west is the San Rafael Swell, a rock outcropping that rises above the plain. Canyon country is to the east and to the south, the Henry Mountains rise up on the horizon. You can see forever in this country and I love it. This past July, when we were on vacation, we took this road. I’d been on it before, but had always been in a hurry to get somewhere. This time I made sure we had enough time to wander off the main highway and explore an enchanted place, Goblin Valley State Park, which is a small state park about 20 miles off Highway 24. Unfortunately, it was the middle of the day when we arrived, not the best time for photography, but it was fun to explore the valley floor where goblin-like figurines abound. Erosion has carved the softer rock away faster, leaving the harder rock above which creates the “heads.” Also, small pits in the harder rock create an eye-like illusion in the rock. There are thousands of these sculptures. I’d first heard of this unique place from my secretary in Utah, who’d gone there with her husband and friends to camp on a full-moon. It would be a wonderful place to explore in the light of the moon, and very scary. If you go, be sure to take all you need with you, as it is a long ways to any kind of services or restaurants. If you’re spending the night, camping is your only option. There are hotels in Green River and Hanksville, but they’re a good hour away. Click on the photos to enlarge. Enjoy...