Stopover: Goblin Valley State Park

My overwhelming feeling, as we drove away from Moab and into a vast desert nothingness was, “Where, exactly, am I taking us now?” The signs were foreboding, warning that there was no service for more than 100 miles in any direction. The exit we took from I-70 only allowed drivers to head west; the east side turning to dirt with a large sign that read “End of state-maintained road. Travel at your own risk.”

The drive to Goblin Valley State Park, our stopping point for the night, was totally empty of human activity. As we checked-in to our campsite for the night, grateful for the small visitor center and fellow campers, I realized that you only get to these places if you’re willing to camp. With no hotels, restaurants, or even gas stations around, they are just too remote for more “casual” travelers. For us though, with our trusty camper and car, it was extremely comfortable and a real treat.

Eli got to really experience the highlight of this stopover, going for a run that took him all over the park, and in particular, to an area called the Goblin’s Lair.

 The kids and I stayed in the more accessible areas, wandering around the Valley of Goblins, filled with climbable hoodoos, and visiting the “three sisters” who stand out in the otherwise wide-open desert space.

The valley was once part of a huge underwater sea that covered much of the western US and split today’s North America into two separate parts. When walking through Goblin Valley, you do get a sense like you are in some giant, dried up, fish bowl.

We were treated to a beautiful sunset that evening, the sky turning all kinds of pinks. Goblin Valley is another place that is supposed to have incredible star-gazing. But, the combination of the nearly-full moon and the many hours of daylight this time of year (and my inability to stay up late!) thwarted our efforts. We don’t feel too disappointed with what we got!