Besides camping, picnicking, and biking, Goblin Valley State Park is a hiker's paradise. Looking like something right out of a science fiction movie, eerie mushrooms of red sandstone seem to move in the changing sun. Mickey Mouse, evil wizards and ships and trains look as if they had all been turned to stone. Located in the heart of Eastern Utah, the San Rafael Swell raises upward like a boil. This kidney-shaped upwarp is one of the most rugged and desolate places in the Western United States.
Unique geology awaits at every turn.
At the northern edge, the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry takes visitors back in time 147 million years ago when dinosaurs ruled the earth. A short trail leads to the quarry buildings where visitors can see the actual bones. To really appreciate the San Rafael Swell, take the beautiful drive to the Cedar Mountain Recreation Area. Picnicking is available and an overlook orientates the visitor to the San Rafael Swell. The sweeping vista gives onlookers a view that stretches from the Wasatch Plateau in the West to the Bookcliff Mountains in the East and the distant Henry Mountains in the South.