Named for its thousands of bizarre, goblin-like rock formations, Utah's Goblin Valley State Park is a hidden gem in the San Rafael Desert. The goblins, known scientifically as "hoodoos," were formed through the gradual erosion of Entrada sandstone, which was deposited about 170 millions years ago when the area was situated next to an ancient sea.
After millions of years, the sandstone was eroded to form vaguely anthropomorphic figures that stand stoically in the middle of the desert like sentinels (above) and adorable mushrooms (below). These odd shapes were created as a result of varying erosional patterns of the Entrada sandstone, which contains alternating layers of sandstone, siltstone and shale. Because these different kinds of sedimentary rocks have different levels of hardness, the softer rock material erodes more quickly, leaving the harder rock behind.
If you ever plan to visit Goblin Valley yourself, the park offers a short naturalist-guided hike called "The Fallen Goblin," which is inspired by the incident. Don't worry — no re-enactments involved!
Photo: Mark Herreid/Shutterstock
Photo: Aneta Waberska/Shutterstock
Photo: Colin D. Young/Shutterstock
Photo: Stas Moroz/Shutterstock
Photo: Malgorzata Litkowska/Shutterstock
Related content on MNN:
Want to see more great photos? Check out MNN’s photo blog