Five Little Goblins

The formations shown here are often referred to as “goblins” because of their ghostly shapes, but are really hoodoos, and are found in Goblin Valley State Park, UT, located north of Hanksville, UT.

This park was featured in a 1999 movie called “Galaxy Quest.” The park consists of three main “coves” that contain thousands of these goblin-shaped, sandstone towers. They can range from just a couple feet to twenty feet or more in height. The area apparently was first “discovered” by cowboys searching for lost cattle. Later, Arthur Chaffin and a friend first viewed the area while looking for an alternate route from Green River to Caineville. His first view was from the west that provided an expansive overlook of the entire valley. Chaffin favored preserving the area from vandalism, calling it “The Valley of Mushrooms,” and through various efforts, the state acquired the land and it became Goblin Valley State Reserve in August, 1964. In 2019, 6,261 acres of federal land under the Dept. of the Interior were donated to expand the park to its present size. The Entrada sandstone is the main geologic layer these goblins are located in.

This particular photo is what photographers call a “long-exposure,” taken in the later evening hours after sundown. This reduced contrast between the goblins and the sky and still allowed the rich, red color to come though nicely. The long exposure effect also softens the clouds because of the slight motion of them during the time of exposure. These five goblins nicely represent the thousands of goblins in this remarkable park. The park is also known for several, nicely preserved Indian pictograph panels.   

Photo taken spring, 2011.