Goblin Valley State Park, Utah facts for kids
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The Goblin Valley State Park is a special State park located in southern Utah, a state in the western United States. It's famous for its unique rock formations that look like strange, mushroom-shaped creatures.
What are the Goblins?
The main part of the park is a small valley about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) wide and 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) long. This valley is filled with thousands of amazing rock shapes called pinnacles. These pinnacles are each several meters high. Because of their unusual, rounded shapes, people started calling them "goblins."
These "goblins" are made of two different types of rock. The top part is a hard, orange-brown boulder of strong rock. Below this, there are softer, sandy layers. Over a very long time, erosion (which is when wind and water wear away rock) has carved these shapes. The softer sandy layers wore away faster, leaving the harder rock on top looking like a mushroom cap.
The "Goblins" are quite hidden from the main road. If you look to the east, you'll see flat, empty land. Beyond that, there's a long, narrow ridge with layers of grey and red-brown rocks that have also been shaped by erosion. From a distance, the "Goblins" seem to blend in with these cliffs, creating a strange scene that looks almost like a giant skeleton made of rocks, with skull-like shapes and bony ridges.
Exploring the Park
Goblin Valley State Park is a great place to explore. There are several trails that wind through the park, but they are not always easy to see. This means you can often walk almost anywhere you like, making your own path among the "goblins." It feels like you're exploring a different planet!
Nearby Wilderness
West of Goblin Valley State Park, you'll find a wild area known as the San Rafael Swell. This region is very similar to much of southern Utah. It's a remote and beautiful place, far from cities and towns. Only a few dirt tracks cross this land, and 4WD vehicles are very helpful for getting around.
This area is also home to many exciting slot canyons. These are narrow canyons formed by water cutting through rock. Some of them, like Little Wild Horse Canyon, are easy and fun to explore on foot. They offer another amazing adventure near Goblin Valley.
