Goblin Valley

Goblin Valley State Park Your park fees provide for the care, protection and enhancement of this park. Park Location: The park is located 50 miles southwest of Green River off State Highway 24. Operating Hours: The park is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. year-round. Address Inquiries To: Goblin Valley State Park PO Box 637 Green River, UT 84525 (435) 275-4584 or Utah State Parks and Recreation P.O. Box 146001 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6001 (801) 538-7220 stateparks.utah.gov For Reservations Call: (800) 322-3770 Utah State Parks Mission: To enhance the quality of life by preserving and providing natural, cultural and recreational resources for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of this and future generations. Information contained in this brochure was accurate at the time of printing. Policies, facilities, fees, hours and regulations, etc., change as mandated. For updated information please contact the park. Printed on recycled paper 07/17 Utah State Parks Guidelines Activities Please observe the following park regulations to ensure everyone’s visit is pleasant. Goblin Valley allows visitors to explore and meander among and in between the goblins, and offers three trails: Camping - Camp only in designated areas. Each permit covers one vehicle and any attached recreational equipment. There is an extra fee for additional vehicles or camping equipment. Up to eight people are allowed in a campsite. Carmel Canyon - A 1.5-mile moderately strenuous loop leading from the parking area to the desert floor. Along the way, visitors see Goblin Valley from different perspectives. Optional hike to Molly’s Castle Overlook. Curtis Bench - A fairly easy 2.1-mile out and back trail that follows the Curtis formation. The trail offers a unique overview of Goblin Valley as well as spectacular views of the Henry Mountains. Entrada Canyon - An adventuresome, moderately strenuous 1.3-mile one-way trail from the campground to the goblins and back. The trail follows a natural drainage that lends itself to those who enjoy discovering what is around the next corner. Fires - Campfires may be built in specified areas. Most developed campsites provide camp stoves or charcoal facilities. Firewood is available for sale at the Visitor Center. Weather Clear desert skies offer spectacular views of the desert floor and San Rafael Reef. Low humidity and sparse vegetation allow evenings to cool off rapidly. Summer - Temperatures can reach to 90s to low 100s during the day and fall to the mid 60s at night. Afternoon thundershowers in late summer cool temperatures dramatically, but also bring danger of lightning strikes and flash flooding in nearby slot canyons. Spring and Autumn - Variable weather. Days are often sunny and warm, nights clear and cool. Be prepared for abrupt changes, including strong winds, rain, hail and occasional snow. Winter - Colder temperatures and occasional snow. Temperatures are above freezing most days, but often drop into the teens and single digits at night. Reservations Safety Tips w Lightning danger is severe in exposed valley and park locations. Seek shelter in a building or vehicle during thunderstorms. w Drink plenty of water — one gallon per person per day in summer. w Goblin Valley is a remote, rugged area. Use caution while hiking. Reservations are available for group-use and individual campsites. Individual campsite reservations may be made two days to 16 weeks in advance of park departure date. Group-use reservations may be made up to 11 months in advance. To make a reservation, please call 801-3223770 within Salt Lake City or toll free 800-322-3770. Reservations are not required but advised. Unreserved sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. User Fees Day-use and camping fees are charged. Additional fees are charged for group-use and reservations. Pets - Pets are allowed in Utah state parks, but must be on a maximum six-foot leash. Service animals are the only animals admitted in park buildings. For safety and courtesy, please keep your pets under control and clean up after them. Bicycles - Bicycling is permitted on established public roads and in parking areas. Bicycles are not allowed on hiking trails, in the valley of goblins or off paved areas within the campground. Off-highway vehicles - Off-highway vehicle riding is permitted in areas near the park. For designated areas contact a park ranger. Plants and animals - All plants, animals, minerals and other natural features in state parks are protected. It is unlawful to remove, alter or destroy them. Firearms - The discharge of weapons or firearms, including air and gas-powered types, and all other devices capable of launching a projectile which could immobilize, injure, or kill any person or animal or damage property are prohibited in the park system unless: The weapon or device is being used for the legal pursuit of wildlife; authorized by a Special Use Permit or an authorized event; used in accordance with the Concealed Weapons Act; or used by authorized law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties. Fireworks - Unless authorized by the park manager, fireworks and firecrackers are prohibited in state parks. Vandalism - It is unlawful to mutilate or deface any natural or constructed feature or structure. Please help keep our parks beautiful. Speed limit - The speed limit within all park areas is 15 mph. Waste water - It is unlawful to dump or to drain water from campers or trailers onto the ground. A sanitary disposal station is provided for registered campers. Quiet hours - 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Generator hours - 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. GOBLIN VALLEY STATE PARK From deposits laid 170 million years ago by a vast inland sea, Goblin Valley State Park was sculpted by forces of nature such as uplift and erosion by wind and water. Today, results of these geologic forces are witnessed in the stone gnomes inhabiting the valley. These uniquely shaped goblins lure visitors to join them in their desert playground. Goblin Valley State Park is located in Emery County between Green River and Hanksville. Follow Highway 24 to Temple Mountain Junction (mile post 136), and proceed 12 miles southwest to the park. Story of Goblin Valley Cowboys searching for cattle were among the first to discover secluded Goblin Valley. In the late 1920s, Arthur Chaffin, owner/operator of the Hite Ferry, and two companions were searching for an alternative route between Green River and Caineville. They came to a vantage point about one mile west of Goblin Valley and were awed by what they saw — five buttes and a valley of strange-shaped rock formations surrounded by a wall of eroded cliffs. In 1949 Chaffin returned to the area he called Mushroom Valley. He spent several days exploring the mysterious valley and photographing its scores of intricately eroded creatures. Publicity attracted visitors to the valley despite its remoteness. In 1954 it was proposed that Goblin Valley be protected from vandalism. The state of Utah later acquired the property and established Goblin Valley State Reserve. It was officially designated a state park on August 24, 1964. Geology The wonderful stone shapes of Goblin Valley result from millions of years of geologic history. The goblins are made of Entrada sandstone, which consist of debris eroded from former highlands and redeposited here on a tidal flat (alternating layers of sandstone, siltstone and shale). The goblins show evidence of being near an ancient sea with 1) the ebb and flow of tides, 2) tidal channels that directed currents back to the sea and 3) coastal sand dunes. Joint or fracture patterns within the Entrada’s sandstone beds create initial zones of weakness. The unweathered joints intersect to form sharp edges and corners with greater surface-area-to-volume ratios than the faces. As a result, the edges weather more quickly, producing spherical-shaped goblins. Entrada GOBLIN VALLEY STATE PARK tle it To L Map Legend Wil Plants and Animals yon Can Wild Horse Butte Entrance Station/Visitor Center Restrooms OHV Stage Area Covered Picnic Area Viewpoint Hiking Trailhead Campground A = ? = 9_ Group Campground Price Amphitheater Ranger Residence G 9 F Carmel Canyon Trail da tr a En on ny Ca F _3[ Observation Point il a Tr Hiking Trail Paved Road Unpaved Road ail Valley 1 Goblin’s Lair 6 191 Green River 10 [ Valley 2 70 Emery 70 San Rafael Swell 24 Valley 3 Goblin Valley State Park Capitol Reef National Park Vegetation is limited to hardy desert species, which can endure blowing sand and hot, dry surface conditions. Vegetation and wildlife exist on a limited supply of water in this arid desert environment. Plants have adapted by reducing the size of their leaves, as smaller leaves lose less water through transpiration. Some plants have a waxy coating on their leaves, which also reduces water loss. Visitors will likely encounter Mormon tea (joint fir), Russian thistle, Indian ricegrass and various cacti. Nearby, at slightly higher elevations, are juniper and pinyon pine. To Molly’s Castle Curtis Bench Tr ? _ 3 [ F 9 G 9 A = = rse d Ho 24 Caineville Hanksville 95 145 - 170 million years ago Curtis Upper Jurassic Formations Summerville Animals often must travel many miles to find water or wait for thunderstorms to provide moisture. Most animals in the area are nocturnal, venturing out only in the cooler evenings to hunt and forage for food. Some animals get water from the food they eat and go for weeks without a drink of water. Jackrabbits, scorpions, kangaroo rats, pronghorn, kit foxes, midget faded rattler and coyotes are found within and near the park. Desert animals have only a slight edge on the harsh environment in which they live. Chasing or harassing them uses up precious reserves they cannot afford to lose. Please respect their home, and do not disrupt their tenuous struggle for existence.