Goblin Valley State Park
Sunday 18 September, 2022
Overlook view.
Goblin Valley was delightful. The goblins were formed from the Jurassic Entrada Sandstone layer of the Grand Staircase Escalante, and they are still forming as the hillside erodes. Fault cracks in the hillside expose areas to weathering. As the fractures weather, they erode as well, and continue to expand. Eventually, these processes round the rock into the goblin hoodoo shapes. [Geology Underfoot in Southern Utah, Orndorff, Wieder, & Futey]
Eric's view of the Three Judges.
Goblin Valley expanse.
Eric took a picture of me among the hoodoos.
Yeah, if this scenery looks familiar, that's because several scenes from Galaxy Quest -- one, two, three -- (and also some other movies) were filmed there. Never give up, never surrender!
We hiked from Valley 1 into Valley 2, and Eric photographed more features.
I found this amphitheater of goblins.
Eric photographed one of the features.
Eric photographed a duck.
A turtle.
A face looked out at me from the rock.
The tops of a ridge of hoodoos.
The sun lowered in the sky, filling the valley with a warm glow.
Eric also photographed the warm evening light.
A hoodoo silhouetted in the setting sun.
We took some late shots as we returned to the overlook, and headed into our lodging for the evening in nearby Hanksville.
On to Little Egypt.