[This is the third installment of a travelogue from our recent trip to national parks and one state park in Utah and Colorado. More installments will follow. You can find the first installment here and the second installment here.]

Halfway between the visitor center at Capitol Reef National Park and Moab, Utah, is Goblin Valley State Park, a park with an amazing landscape. Goblin Valley his home to thousands of hoodoos that are on average 8 to 15 feet tall.

The park encompasses nearly 1,000 acres of hoodoos. According to the Utah Geological Survey, the hoodoos of Goblin Valley “were formed through the gradual erosion of Entrada sandstone, which was deposited about 170 millions years ago when the area was situated next to an ancient sea.” Over the years, the sandstone was carved by the wind and water to create the unique hoodoo formations.

The hoodoos are in three valleys. We spent our time in the first valley, where there were plenty of hoodoos to explore. Goblin Valley has no established trails. Visitors are encouraged to wander among the hoodoos. But if you visit, bring plenty of water and sun screen. The sun is unrelenting and there is little shade. There is a covered picnic area and restrooms at the parking lot.

Visitors are also encouraged to bring a compass to help them find their way back to their car. We didn’t find that to be an issue. Looking to the west in Valley 1, we could always see White Horse Butte (5,760 feet). All we had to do was walk in the direction of the Butte to find the parking lot.

As we left the Valley, we stopped to take a photo of the Three Sisters, three hoodoos that stand 80 feet tall.

Wandering around the “goblins” in the Valley was a blast. I have never experienced anything like it and would recommend it as a stop for anyone visiting the Mighty Five National Parks in Utah. Goblin Valley is in the middle of nowhere. The closest town is Hanksville, Utah, population 158. We chose to pass by Goblin Valley on our way from Capitol Reef to Moab, where we spent four nights. Using Moab as our base to explore Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, we squeezed in a daytrip to Goblin Valley and enjoyed it thoroughly.