Land of the Goblins: Goblin Valley State Park, Utah
Utah’s national parks are well-known, and for very good reason: Arches, Canyonlands, Zion – the names conjure scenes of monumental rock formations and endless desert vistas. But these popular tourist destinations aren’t the only ‘rock stars’ around. In fact, there’s a lesser-known park with some of the most breathtaking geologic formations in the world. Within Goblin Valley State Park’s nearly 1,000 acres is one of the highest concentrations of hoodoos found anywhere on Earth. Hoodoos are sandstone pinnacles formed by water erosion over a very long period of time – about 170 million years, and they are the main draw of Goblin Valley State Park.
A panoramic view of the surreal landscape in Goblin Valley State Park, Utah.The Wild Horse Window near Goblin is also known as the Eyes of Sinbad because looking up through the 35-foot skylight is like looking through a giant eye.Standing like timeless sentinels, hoodoos are eroded sandstone rocks carved by wind and water into shapes. They are the ‘rock stars’ of Goblin Valley State Park. The most striking of these formations are three isolated hoodoos pictured above, which are immense in size and standing on top of a narrow ridge that overlooks miles and miles of flat, grassy land.These quirky rock formations are named ‘toadstools.’ They form when softer rock erodes away, leaving a column sheltered from wind and water.Its rock formations like these that lend Goblin Valley its magical quality.The endlessly fascinating shapes of hoodoos. Some resemble gnomes; one even sport an Elvis hairstyle!A desert scenery straight out of a Western or Sci-fi movie. In addition to the hoodoos, the desert floor itself is quite a sight as can be seen in this photo showing the whitish floor where flash floods have deposited white sand to the typical orange.Every rock here is a universe of textures that invites a closer look.
