This post and the next few coming will be all about my amazing Utah trip with my mom and Aunt Frances. On our way to Arches National park, we stopped at a spot that I’m so excited to share: Goblin Valley!

History:

As the name describes, it’s a valley full of sandstone formations that look like Goblins! How crazy. A sign explained how this all came to be by saying, “rewind 170 million years to the Jurassic Period and you would be on seafront property! During this period, Goblin Valley was a muddy tidal flat along an inland sea. The waves of the tidal flat deposited sand, silt, and clay. With pressure and time, the sediment became the Goblin-forming Entrada formation.”

Location and Fee:

It’s a bit out of the way if you’re heading toward Arches National Park, probably adding an hour of travel time, but so worth it! For exact directions check out their website here. The entrance fee is 13$ per car since its a state park. Once you reach the parking lot you have an amazing view of a valley full of goblins on goblins.

What to do and see:

There are so many rock formations here! You can walk down the stairs to the valley floor and see just how maze-like this area is. Walk around and take in each individual goblin, since they each have their own unique characteristics. We saw some with faces and even some that look like famous TV characters such as Barb Simpson and E.T.! It’s recommended that you don’t climb on top of them, but it is possible, and oh so tempting so my advice is to take it easy and be gentle with them. The effects of human interaction aren’t yet known, so they mostly recommend against this for our own safety, as the rock is soft and can crumble around you.

Where to Stay in Moab:

After enjoying our time in Goblin Valley, we continued with our drive to Moab. We stayed at the Red Cliffs Lodge, which is located along the Colorado River and surrounded by beautiful 2,000-foot cliffs. This hotel is so beautiful and definitely added to our Moab experience. Our cabin-like, yet still modern, room was right next to the Castle Creek, plus it had a beautiful ranch view. After a long day of exploring, we had a great dinner at the restaurant that’s in the main lodge. Also in the main lodge is a Film and History Museum that shares all of the movies shot in the area. This is an amazing place to stay if you’re looking for comfort and beauty!