This may be the best way to visit Goblin Valley State Park

UTAH PART THREE: Sometimes you just gotta improvise on the fly. In this short episode, weather & lighting conditions prompt me to alter my approach to visiting Goblin Valley, ultimately resulting in a better experience than if I had stuck with my original plans.
I realize this video is pretty short for an installment in a weeklong adventure series, but I wanted this to just focus on Goblin Valley in order for it to also be potentially useful for anyone researching their visit to this unique geological feature.
If you'd like to see more epic driving through stunning central Utah scenery, you can hop over to Backroad Exploration where you'll find a full episode that features me along with Jared & Mike of Backroad Exploration:
• Overlanding Poison Spr...
Note that I will NOT be making an episode about this part of my Utah adventure, so the only way to see what was arguably my most epic drive of the trip is to watch Jared's excellent videos of our excursion together.
If you haven't already, be sure to check out the first two episodes in my series:
UTAH PART ONE: • The First Day Curse re...
UTAH PART TWO: • Exploring Utah’s radio...
If you enjoy my work and would like to support the ongoing creation of these videos, consider joining my Patreon page with a small monthly contribution. Patrons receive access to exclusive extra content and other benefits:
/ softroadingthewest
If you would like to provide some support without signing up for Patreon, you can hit the "Thanks" button along the bottom of the video player to leave me a tip. :-)
Some of the gear I use:
Jackery Explorer 1500 Power Station:
www.jackery.co...
Alldogs Offroad/Koni 2" lift kit:
www.alldogsoff...
ASFIR 4x4 skid plates:
www.asfir.com/...
MAXTRAX MKII recovery boards:
adventure-impo...
My 12V fridge:
amzn.to/3mXTXNI
Diode Dynamics SS3 LED pods
amzn.to/341SWv2
Claymore 3 Face camp light:
amzn.to/2wo2sKq
Camp Chef Mountaineer Stove:
www.campchef.c...
de Buyer 9½" carbon steel frying pan:
amzn.to/3iwQlky
My cheap camp knife:
amzn.to/2ZvWUfL
Thermacell mosquito repeller:
amzn.to/3AJLhz9
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made after clicking one of my ^ links, even if you ultimately choose another product. This costs you nothing, but the small commissions earned on referrals support the ongoing creation of content for this channel. Thank you!
MUSIC CREDITS All music fully licensed via artlist.io
Sophisticated Nostalgia - by Nobou
Venus - by Yotam Agam
Homemade Apple Pie - by Jamie Bathgate
Ripples - by Tamuz Dekel
Helvv-Kryd - by Ian Post

[@softroadingthewest]

I know this episode clocks in rather short. If you'd like to see more of my Utah adventure, you can head over to the Backroad Exploration channel. Jared just dropped his first video of our amazing excursion through some jaw-dropping Utah scenery. I *won't* be making a video of that myself, so this the only way to see that part of my trip: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5qYc4yJf7eFjbc

[@solosaga5091]

Definitely worth a watch!

[@acoupleofscrewsloose]

What great timing seeing your Goblin Valley Video. We’ve had plans to see it right after checking out Glass Mountain and Capitol Reef which will happen in a few weeks. Awesome video! Thank you.

[@acoupleofscrewsloose]

We did Goblin...errrr I mean Troll Valley a few days ago and I (Danita here) had so much fun there! I'm 62 and was running all around that place like a little kid in a candy store. It was like an amusement park filled with Troll Hoodoos. I call them Trolls because, well, trolls turn to stone when the sun hits them. We came back home (Eugene) yesterday from traveling the southwest for 5 weeks. We got back here and were amazed at how GREEN it is here. SO MUCH GREEN! Now I understand why my friends who travel here exclaim how green it is here. Now it's time to transfer tons of photos and videos and to edit and turn them into KZbin videos.

[@PrimalOutdoors]

Definitely looked like a worth while stop. Enjoyed the cooking bit😂

[@softroadingthewest]

Somewhat silly segment but simple & satisfying 😄

[@GratefulOverlander]

Regarding the video you 'didn't do'....bro, that was so kind of you to let a smaller channel have their moment to shine. I know I subbed to them because of it, and I'm sure many other did as well. Stay safe out there 🤙

[@softroadingthewest]

I have benefited in the past from a larger channel I traveled with letting me produce the episodes and just making a trailer to shunt his viewers over to my channel. That moment was very beneficial to my channel and I was really happy for this opportunity to pay it forward. :-)

[@roaming-aus]

I just wanted say that the quality of your production has come on leaps and bounds and I love it. Keep the great videos coming. 👍

[@FunkeAdventures]

Goblin Valley is one of those great places in Utah that would probably be a national park if it were somewhere else. Great video! Thanks for sharing!

[@norsefalconer]

Another wonderful episode! I really enjoy your work, excellent production quality.

[@greygooseadventures5212]

That Donald was excellent and extremely entertaining. Well done sir!!!! David and Juanita aka grey goose adventures

[@thomas194907]

i'm getting frustrated with telling you how much i enjoy your stories...another great video donald !!!

[@swidahooverlanding2867]

Looks like a great time to visit in the early morning. Those hoo doo's cast some interesting shadows! Thanks for sharing. George.

[@Scrambler85]

It's good to see your channel growing 👍

[@mariechristinechateau2625]

Nice to meet Robin! Beautiful view!

[@paultompkins7392]

Beautiful just beautiful.

[@sagebrushbob2321]

I've never had a camp-and-cook with goblins. They always seem so silent and brooding. Poor conversationalists. Pretty much stuck in their ways. But its nice to have someone around the campfire who won't steal your beer when you aren't looking. :-)

[@softroadingthewest]

Haha!

[@billkipper3264]

Sweet video. Your comment about otherworldly scenery reminds me of a backpacking trip I did into the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park years ago. I really did feel like I was on another planet or that a dinosaur would pop out around a corner somewhere. Very surreal.

[@nickolasmiller2808]

Gonna have to add Goblin Valley to the list of places to check out someday. Thanks for another awesome video.

[@walterbright1396]

Great piece. Very nice photography. I passed this place for about 40 years. Finally crashed there one night and got the last site in August 2018 and really liked it. Went back the next year too. No wind then but lots of bugs at night. I prefer the campsite you had however to the campground and will try and find it in the future. That was also my idea of a good camp meal. I have to add French fries too. Take care.

[@imbdileva]

We camped near Goblin Valley in front of Temple Mountain. Beautiful area!

[@eturp961]

Such a beautiful place! Thank you for sharing!

[@randymoffitt6532]

Love the black&white Donald. Good video!

[@louiskudlak2241]

Episode 4 looks awesome 👏

[@bobbyh76]

It’s really cool place. I visited it last week during my 10 days trip in Utah .

[@adventuretrails1ato]

WOW looks pretty epic! It looks like a must visit.

[@virginiarocks]

Outstanding. Loved this!

[@Realtor_eliot_portland]

Absolutely awesome, nice music selections!

[@jimmyrants4342]

Incredible video. Just unreal.

[@lloydmarche3058]

Beautiful. I am trying to convince my wife to take a vacation there, Cheers from northern Canada. 🙂.

[@daveoffroad7396]

Outstanding Donald..!!

[@johnhuff393]

AWESOME!!!!! That's it.

[@gregernst4483]

Your skills really showed the beauty of the HooDoos. HooDoo you love, ha ha ha.

[@agentorange1556]

Can’t wait for the next cooking with Robyn episode. I can only imagine Lucie’s eye roll when she saw the googley eyes on Robyn. Lol

[@softroadingthewest]

Lucie doesn't watch my videos, heh. Though I did show her my goblin bit while I was editing. I believe an eye roll did occur, haha.

[@richardburguillos3118]

That was a beautiful spot. Robin had some amazing rock solid insight on your cooking. A good listener as well. Thanks for taking us along.

[@georgedanilov8898]

Awesome video diary, and great tips on visiting Goblin Valley with dispersed camping And btw, They way you look in the conclusion of this episode, they way you speak and move you hands - resemble Edward Norton )

[@mrkakeg1]

I camped there with friends in '79 on the night of a full moon. Things were much more relaxed back then and we had a ball running around the "goblins" in the middle of the night. We stayed on a Thursday in early September and had the place pretty much to ourselves. It was one of the most memorable nights of my life.

[@kenuber4766]

Excellent video Donald!

[@erichughes9098]

Thank you Donald I would sure like to spend some more time down in Utah in the future. I was down there last year and it was a wonderful time. I can’t wait to see episode four thank you for all your hard work 😎👍

[@TomaszSlowinski]

now I regret I didn't stop over there. it looks amazing

[@StacySalmans]

Awesome campsite. Hanging out with the Goblins is always a good time. Wonderful sunset and sunrise.

[@TheCabrooster11]

Every time I get to the western states I’m continually in awe of the amazing and beautiful variety of wonderful scenery and geological formations that make all the different deserts

[@solosaga5091]

Appreciate you rising before the sun, to show the park in its best light. The sacrifices made for quality content 😉 Adventure YT creating isn't for the late riser, lol.

[@matthewlockhart3226]

Love this series!

[@4WheelingInNSW]

You know you e been out on the road, alone, for waaaaaay too long when you start having conversations with boulders 🤣🤣🤣 great clip as always, cheers mate from Sydney 🇦🇺

[@juergenaushusum2587]

Fun to watch! Thank you

[@MikeMartin-fj6vs]

Beautiful sunrise. Thanks for the video. My wife and I will definitely be visiting the Goblins soon.

[@carolleimbach6407]

What other worldly scenery. ❤ I must visit this place. Thank you (and Robin) for this video.

[@mikeoldham]

Goblin valley is such a strange place. It’s amazing what millions of years of wind can do. Best cooking episode yet. Loved the vid as usual.

[@softroadingthewest]

It was great to have an assistant for the cooking segment!

[@garycloud9631]

Crazy cool formations/goblins. Thanks for the adventure.

[@mikemorgan4670]

Really nice video Donald.

[@kennb.3389]

Great Video. Well done. "Cooking With Goblins" was a wonderful treat !!. Now i got "Hoo Du U Luve " spinning in my head . Really love the area have been out there 4 times from Chgo. area. Favorite trip was 100 mile (10Day) Canoe trip on the Green River. Hope to make it back out there. Thanks for Sharing.!

[@dennisharvey4499]

Never heard of Goblin Valley. Thanks for introducing us, and I prefer the shorter videos.

[@idahoverland_208]

Cooking with Robin was great! But I can’t help but hear the Super Mario Bros. Soundtrack and wish there was a reference to saving Princess Peach from the goombas mushrooms.

[@watertrinemystic]

I spent two weeks in the summer of 2017 exploring southern Utah. We camped at Goblin State Park during a dust storm and woke up to a couple of inches of sand on the floor of our tent. Oh, but it was such a cool place! I loved revisiting the park with your video this morning 😊good memories. Southern Utah is such an incredibly beautiful place to explore and going back to explore more is on my bucket list. Can't wait until that day comes. I'm really enjoying reliving my Utah memories through your video series, Donald. Thank you so much. Oh! and btw, I loved Robin! 😂🤣😂

[@watertrinemystic]

Also, Hanksville has some yummey burgers at the burger place. Love that little town!

[@softroadingthewest]

@@watertrinemystic The burger place right next to the gas station? I did in fact get a burger there on one of the days I happened to be in town to refuel right around lunchtime. It was great!

[@johndej]

Great episode!

[@johnschlaefflin2100]

So cool you had your own slot canyon. You missed one of the coolest slot canyons right next to you. Maybe next time. Love the videos.

[@remaguire]

I visited there about 2 years ago and I was struck at how far in the boonies it was. Much more so than any other park I've been to in Utah. I was even more shocked at how packed the park was. They were even holding cars at the front gate until people left the park. Fantastic hoodoos, but far too crowded for my taste. I'll have to go back and do it your way, heading there first thing in the morning. Watching the video, it seems to me that "Long Dong Silver" and "Moonscape" are near there. I can kill three birds with one stone! Thanks for the video!

[@Oregontrailblazin]

Thanks Donald for taking us places we have never seen and prob.won't ..

[@Procooktip]

We sure had a good time at GV last week.

[@yooperdog]

Great video Donald, that place is on the list. We where so close at Capitol Reef. Hope repairs on your rig aren't too costly.

[@RebelViking912]

Beautiful video.

[@Fish_InChips]

Makes me want to go to the castle rocks! Couldn't get there last year by car as the road was rough and trees were down. Going to try again by motorcycle this year!

[@woodlanddogs782]

That was so cool!

[@zackdemundo]

I can’t help but think that this would have been a perfect location for a Sid & Marty Krofft Saturday morning kid’s show. After all, Lidsville did have Charles Nelson Reilly as “Hoodoo .”

[@samconagher8495]

Don't forget to visit the Horseshoe Canyon Unit of Canyonlands NP, accessed from other side of highway from Goblin Valley. Well worth the hike in. You can do it easily in a day in and out! Enjoy!

[@softroadingthewest]

This whole trip deliberately avoided national parks. I'll definitely be back one day to see the national parks as they all look incredible.

[@samconagher8495]

@@softroadingthewest Can't say I blame you. Do note that the Horseshoe unit is detached and has a low number of visitors. Which is about as good as it gets when you want to see a NP without the crowds. No real campgrounds at the top, plenty of open space to pitch a tent or park a camper. Be prepared for high winds.

[@louiskudlak2241]

So very cool Donald 👍

[@katzen-opa5400]

... and best regards to Robin. He is a great cook!

[@scottymac5174]

Very nice camp site!

[@Natezoinks]

Great video, 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻

[@CraigG21]

Wow - that was a really cool park!

[@samconagher8495]

Nice video! Food looked great too. Any sign of the crew from Galaxy Quest? Beryllium spheres? Paul?

[@kegerjupit1448]

Great Utah episode, Donald! I was there a couple years ago. We hit 7 National Parks & 8 other state parks or national monuments between Eugene & Utah. It was epic! I don't know if you went to the Goblin's Lair feature, but if anyone reading this goes to Goblin Valley, check it out. It's worth the hike.

[@elflordsjourneys]

Robin the goblin, hilarious 😂 back in 2011 it was free.😀

[@metaglypto]

I was there last year. Spent two nights in one of the nicest campgrounds I have seen. Strangely beautiful and haunting hoodoo's and other sandstone formations. I will return again at some point.

[@SeanStewart88]

Loved this state park also. The night sky was just truly amazing. Stayed there about 2 nights before moving on but man I miss that adventure. Seeing this makes me want to go back for sure. Hanksville was an awesome little town too, good burger and funky gas station. The park was busy on a Tuesday? It must have exploded in popularity, when I visited it wasn’t too busy.

[@softroadingthewest]

I mean, it wasn't *swarming* with people...the lot wasn't full, but I could see and hear people wherever I went, which is NOT something I'm accustomed to, usually roaming remote BLM and national forest areas where there's not another soul. Normally if there's even one car at a pullout for some point of interest I want to check out, I just move on, LOL. :-)

[@ant4x499]

Looks like an amazing place to visit. I’ll definitely add that one to the list. The goblins look a lot like the pumpkin patch in Anza Borrego state park

[@izrador2264]

Wonderful

[@artem1085]

Fantastic place!

[@adventuresintruckland]

Great series! I'm loving it!

[@clifsant9266]

If you hike the hills around the pay sites you can get on top of them and get some good views from up there, and if you are into disc golf there is a whole course set up too.

[@stevebailey7633]

If a volley ball shows up on the dashboard, we know Donald is spending a wee bit time alone.

[@softroadingthewest]

LOL :-)

[@gringo3009]

Good stuff!

[@charlesfaulkingham5599]

I hope you’ve kept ROBIN’S address. I sure would like to get some advice on a couple of recipes!😂

[@imhidingintheshop8889]

"Look around, can you form some sort of rudimentary lathe?"

[@softroadingthewest]

Haha! I had to Google that. I have never seen that movie but now it's on the top of my list!

[@imhidingintheshop8889]

@@softroadingthewest you may have to go back after watching the movie and yes you should be ashamed :-)

[@gzUnit2000]

What is the narrow road you took at the beginning of the video and the one you camped at? Great video!

[@andrewinaustintx]

Thumbs up to Robbin the goblin.

[@masonstruckadventure9368]

Robin should be in.all your videos,.she.rocks!

[@bah5310]

Great video Donald. Do you think a Sprinter van would fit through that canyon road? It looked very tight.

[@softroadingthewest]

I've never driven a Sprinter so it's hard for me to judge, but I think so? There were a couple of mildly gnarly bits with some rock steps at pinch points, but nothing crazy and the walls were never excessively tight in on the road.

[@ElisaExplores]

Great video. The Park Ranger told me the wind never stops there! We couldn’t take it and we stayed in the State Park there because we needed a shower but your spot definitely looks like it hides you from the wind better. We had to leave as soon as we woke up the next day. The wind was just unbelievable! Check out our video on this park! A bit different from yours :)

[@xplorefurther]

That's nice drone permit option is offered.

[@jaygonzales7198]

wow!

[@danthompson1467]

Like I always say your a very lucky man I will never ever be able to see any of this in person

[@benjones8977]

You should have a little background history on the goblins and how they were formed. I’m curious what kind of refrigeration you have for your steak? 😋🖖

[@softroadingthewest]

I have an inexpensive 12V fridge which runs off the truck's power when I'm driving and off my Jackery when I'm in camp. Should be links to both in the description. :-)

[@kingofbaja5b]

yaşıyorsun bu hayatı reyiiizzzzz

[@mrwomansilver]

Looks like the campground is booked for our trip in September. Whereabouts was that awesome BLM site you found?

[@michaelm4514]

another quality video. need to take my taco out to Utah.

[@Jener8Luv]

May I ask what time of the year you were here? How was the weather/temps? Amazing footage- thanks? Just subscribed 😊

[@softroadingthewest]

This was May 2022. Temperatures were generally mild everywhere I went on this trip; warm during the day and chilly at night, which is generally what I consider to be ideal...EXCEPT for the relentless wind, which I later found out can be common in spring. I'm thinking about a return trip to Utah this year, but might try September this time. :-)

[@frankansley7941]

Hope Robin didn’t eat to much of you dinner. I noticed she was really eyeing you food. What a neat state park! What did you do about the squeaky hood latch? Thanks for the video and take care

[@softroadingthewest]

I have tried multiple suggested solutions. Electrical tape around the hood latch loop. Felt pads on the rubber bump stops. Lithium grease on the bump stops and hood latch components. But the squeak goes on. I think it is actually the rubber bump stops that are doing the actual squeaking...when I fiddle with them, they make that same squeaking, and nothing on the hood latch itself seems to be squeaking. I'm not sure what to try next. It doesn't bother me that much out on the trail but it's definitely annoying in the videos...I get tired of hearing it when I edit these episodes together. :-)

[@johnchen3]

I really wish more people have the your sense of courtesy. Nowadays everyone is flying a drone even in places where they aren’t suppose to or playing their own music with no regards to other people enjoyment.

[@TheAdventureZombie]

I was just there on my way back from CO :) Though I prefer to find goblins outside the park. As you said, too many people.

[@satajet883]

Great Vid👍

[@sierramantrvlnus]

Yay!!!

[@BLFEdgar]

Is there anyway you can drop a pin on where that camp spot is? My cousin and I want to take our daughters out that way this coming weekend. This will be our first RTT camping trip.

[@softroadingthewest]

For a number of reasons, I don't give out specific locations, but there are a TON of clues in this video and you can easily find this and numerous other nearby campsites with just a few minutes of looking on Google maps satellite view. :-)