Planning a visit to Goblin Valley State Park? Here’s all you need to know.

Often overshadowed by the grandeur of Utah’s national parks, Goblin Valley State Park is a relatively little-known gem that encapsulates so much of what makes southern Utah so special.

Located 3.5 hours southeast of Salt Lake City and smack dab between Canyonlands, Arches, and Capitol Reef National Parks, Goblin Valley State Park is a perfect weekend destination from the Salt Lake metro or an easy stop along a Utah National Parks tour.

Hiking

Here are some must-do hikes in Goblin Valley State Park:

Valley of the Goblins 

(Length Determined By Individual)

Goblin Valley Hoodoos

If you do anything in Goblin Valley State Park, this is it. Valley of the Goblins contains 3 square miles of Martian-esque landscape and is packed with thousands of hoodoos. There is no official hiking trail in the valley, so visitors are free to roam where they please – just no climbing! 

Goblin’s Lair & The Chamber of the Basilisk

Distance: 2.4 miles, Elevation Gain: 219 ft., Type: Out & Back

Goblin Valley Lair

This hike certainly lives up to its intriguing name. The trail begins right next to the observation point of Valley of the Goblins and passes by hoodoos and other wind-carved sandstone before reaching ‘Molly’s Castle’. After a quick and steep pitch, hikers can scramble down into the cavernous ‘lair’. Make sure to keep to the right on your way down! Inside the lair, there is a small cave to explore: ‘The Chamber of the Basilisk’. The cave gets very small very quickly – so if you are claustrophobic… well…

  • Note – This hike is concurrent with half of the Carmel Canyon Loop and Molly’s Castle Overlook Trail.

Little Wild Horse Canyon

Distance: 8 miles, Elevation Gain: 787 ft., Type: Loop 

Although not technically in Goblin Valley State Park, Little Wild Horse Canyon is a must for anyone visiting the area and is located just outside the park. An 8-mile loop (or ~3.5 miles if you have a ride at the road crossing), this trail traverses through beautiful slot canyons and desert landscape.

Three Sisters

Length: 1.1 miles, Elevation Gain: 88 ft., Type: Loop

Not so much a hiking trail as it is a short walk from a Goblin Valley Road pull-off location, Three Sisters is one of the more striking rock formations in the park.

The hikes listed above are easily fit into a day’s visit at the park. Here are a few more options if time and energy allow:

  • Carmel Canyon Loop (half of this is concurrent with the Goblin’s Lair hike): Distance: 1.2 miles, Elevation Gain: 95 ft., Type: Loop
  • Curtis Bench Trail: Distance: 2 miles, Elevation Gain: 108 ft., Type: Out & Back
  • Entrada Canyon Trail: Distance: 1.8 miles, Elevation Gain: 150 ft., Type: Out & Back

Camping

You can camp at the Goblin Valley Campground where there are approximately 25 campsites and even 2 secluded yurts available for reservation. If no sites are available or if you prefer the road less traveled, there are plenty of primitive camping options just outside Goblin Valley State Park along Highway 1013 / Wild Horse Road.

Dark Night Skies

Goblin Valley State Park is remote. This makes it one of the best places in the lower 48 states for stargazing. However, it also means that there are no amenities nearby. The town of Green River is about 50 minutes away from the park and Hanksville is a 30 minute drive on highway 24 south of the park. If you are traveling from the Salt Lake City area, the last gas station on your drive is in Wellington, UT, over an hour away from the park.

If you’re ever visiting southern Utah, Goblin Valley State Park is well worth the trip!

Happy hiking!

–Kris