Goblin Valley State Park campground and yurts

Sleep among hoodoos under dark desert skies.

A small campground and two yurts sit under sandstone cliffs a short drive from the Valley of Goblins, where you can wander freely among thousands of mushroom-shaped hoodoos. It’s remote and quiet, a certified dark sky park, with showers but no hookups, and slot canyons like Little Wild Horse just outside the park. Book up to four months ahead; the park’s primitive sites behind the butte are first-come.

At a glance

Sites

24 (10 walk-in tent, 14 RV) + 1 group site

Yurts

2, with heat and swamp coolers

Hookups

None; showers and dump station

Reservations

4 months ahead, rolling

Primitive sites

$15 or free, first-come

Nightly

$45 incl. park entry; yurts $150

What’s here

• Tent sites
• Yurts
• Showers
• Pets allowed
• Open in winter
• Dark skies

Gear, rentals and guides

• Get in the Wild Adventures

  Guided canyoneering trips in the San Rafael Swell; the park points rappellers their way.

• Desert Highlights

  Moab-based canyoneering and packrafting guides.

Where to stay

• hotelWhispering Sands Motel

  Simple motel in Hanksville, between Goblin Valley and Capitol Reef.

  40 min drive
• hotelCapitol Reef Resort

  Resort hotel in Torrey if you’re pairing Goblin Valley with Capitol Reef.

  1 hr 30 min drive

Nearby

• Valley of Goblins · 5 min drive

  Thousands of hoodoos to roam off trail; best in low evening light.

• Goblin’s Lair · 10 min drive

  A hidden chamber reached on the Carmel Canyon Loop; rappelling in needs a $4 permit from the visitor center.

• Little Wild Horse Canyon · 15 min drive

  Popular slot canyon hike on BLM land just west of the park.

• Stan’s Burger Shak · 40 min drive

  Roadside burgers and shakes in Hanksville.

• Duke’s Slickrock Grill · 40 min drive

  Western-style barbecue in Hanksville.

Getting there

• Canyonlands Regional (CNY) · about 1 hr 20 min drive
• Salt Lake City · about 3.5 hr
• Denver · about 6 hr

Directions in Google Maps