This post is also available in:
Nederlands (Dutch)
Goblin Valley State Park and its mud tufas
Three compact valleys full of hoodoos, or mud tufas, form the heart of Goblin Valley State Park.
You can walk around freely; There are hardly any real paths.
That makes it a nice place for families with children, who can explore among the jagged rock formations.
And yet Goblin Valley left a slightly less strong impression on me than I expected. Why exactly, I don’t really know.
Maybe because you don’t really have to go further than the first valley to get a good idea of what the park has to offer.
We have limited ourselves to the valleys themselves. Those who have more time can also head to Goblin’s Lair or explore the nearby Little Wild Horse Canyon, which is often cited as one of the highlights of the area.
What is particularly striking is how vulnerable these formations are.
The hoodoos consist of weathered, tangled layers of mud that have acquired their special shapes due to erosion.
If the climate here changed dramatically, these fragile creations would probably disappear in a short time.
A little further on, on the road between Hanksville and Caineville, are the Bentonite Hills.
They are really special: otherworldly, grim even. The gently undulating hills seem to be painted in shades of grey, blue, purple and ochre.
Their colors are constantly changing with the light, turning this incredibly barren landscape into something surprisingly vibrant.
Even from the road you get a nice impression of this otherworldly décor.
Unfortunately, it also bears the marks of its popularity. Numerous jeep tours criss-cross the area and have left tire tracks everywhere.
This somewhat detracts from the feeling of unspoiltness, although the landscape remains impressive.
In the background, Factory Butte towers above everything. This giant of a mountain, too, with some imagination, is reminiscent of a huge sphinx watching over the desert.
We skipped the famous Moonscape Overlook.
The unpaved access road to it is better suited for a 4×4 than for a regular rental car.
But if you believe it, this viewpoint is one of the absolute highlights of the region. Especially at sunrise or dusk, the moon-like landscape is said to be at its best.
From Torrey, organized jeep tours are offered that take visitors to the viewpoint, although that usually means getting up early to catch the best light.
This region is without a doubt one of the most remarkable we have crossed during our trip.
The landscape is impressive and different from anything we saw before, but it still left me with a somewhat indefinable feeling.
This area may appeal mainly to adventurers and lovers of rugged, unspoilt landscapes.
If you want to spend a day doing that, Cathedral Valley Inn in Caineville and the Wonderland RV park in Torrey are a perfect base.
Emma
Another lesser-known area is the forgotten hinterland between Reno and the coast. Read more about this in our next story.