Looking for Boondocking near Goblin Valley....What would you choose?

Most of our camps during our trip to Utah have been in what I call unimproved campgrounds.  Mostly without services of electric, sewer or water.  Pit toilets were available at some sites but mostly we were boondock style camping this outing.  We stayed at such a camp in the Moab area with Garbage, picnic table and fire pit and pit toilets.

 
It was nice to know that we could leave each day to explore the many choices of activities and home would be waiting when we rolled in at night.  It was also nice that since we were in the Moab area during one of the busiest time (second and third week of April during Jeep Safari) there were camp hosts dedicated to keeping the peace....ie monitoring the generator quiet hours and party times along with  rip roaring off road vehicles.

I frequently hear horror stories of inconsiderate neighbors making noise and the constant roar of  engines that destroyed the peace making poor neighbors.  Sometimes groups of friends will gather without anyone (or common sense) managing the peace.  Mostly I have found this in areas where off road vehicles love to gather.  Since this is more common, I simply visit those areas for brief periods of time and find a more remote place to hang my hat.  

We experienced none of this staying in a regional campground with on site hosts.  Our $ 10 fee was money well spent for our spacious spot and peaceful experience.

Mostly we found campers who wanted services stayed in RV parks in Utah.  Some of the National  or Statestate campgroundsParks had services.... but required reservations.  I will definetely need to change my gypsy ways to get it together and PLAN for stays in those areas.  Rarely have I found a site that was open when using a reservation park. 

Goblin Valley State Park had a wonderful campground amidst goblins with most of the bells and whistles complete with restrooms with flush toilets and SHOWERS and sewage disposal station.  Water was available as well as garbage disposal for $18 if you plan ahead.

Once you leave Goblin Valley State Park we followed a road to the west marked to Wild Horse Canyon.  It was paved to the canyon with several spur road to beautiful boondocking spots.

spur road 

Some local wildlife posing for a glamor shot.....

Check out some of these awesome boondocking spots in the area that we scouted .....

Farther up the canyon road... great spot but I probably wouldn't bring the trailer in here do to the  road conditions and difficulty turning around.

Back closer to Highway 24 near the bluffs.

My favorite site

Check out the view from my site looking the opposite way!!!

There is lots to do and explore in the area..... I'll certainly be back!!

 Bring your own water, solar and porta potty!!

Perfect.... Perfect....Perfect

Price $0 

The View.... The Experience.... It's Priceless!!

Goblin Valley - A Playground for all Ages

  A magical place every child and adult will want to visit and stay and play awhile.

 Goblin Sentries standing guard

Each formation
         a unique vision

   Unreplaceable...

Earlier this year a Bozo who had brought a Boy Scout group to Goblin Valley State Park in Utah toppled a Goblin while his co-leader filmed the miss-adventure and posted it on YouTube.

See the video of the toppling of the Goblin.   http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/watch-ex-scout-leaders-topple-rock-formation-at-utahs-goblin-valley/
 

Utah State Parks director Fred Hayes, has said that the sandstone formations have stood there since the Jurassic era, some 165 million years.

Part of a sign present in the park

Glenn Taylor, 45, was charged with one count of felony criminal mischief and David Hall, 42, was charged with one count of felony aiding and assisting in criminal mischief.

A Sentencing agreement was reached.

Read more information about the sentencing.   http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57695025-78/goblin-hall-rock-state.html.csp

 

They will be required to pay an amount yet to be determined, which the state will use to erect warning signs throughout the park, officials said.

Each man must pay a $925 court fee and both have agreed to split a $1,500 investigative cost — for the engineers that assessed the damage caused to the hoodoo Taylor knocked over — and restitution, which will be determined sometime in the next 30 days.

The men, who were at the state park with the Boy Scouts of America, were removed from their Scout leadership positions.

 

 Unfortunately blowing sand and wind aren't the only agents of erosion present in the desert.

Living on the Edge

Sometimes you have the opportunity to visit a magical place when all the cosmic energy seems to be beaming down on place.  It would seem that was the case as we pulled into Goosenecks State Park in Utah.  After being on the road for some time I find myself not checking in on the news of the world and just being content to be present in the moment.  It is one of the glorious things of being on the road.

The place was positively glowing as the sun moved into the western sky.  The nearby hills were afire with red awaiting sunset when all the special effects would take place.  The cloudless sky led to a less than spectacular sunset but we were left us with a glowing sky.

I wasn't even aware that a lunar eclipse was due for the first night that we were at Goosenecks. It was to be a busy night living on the edge.

 
  There were about 20 rigs spread along the canyon edge awaiting  a sacred event under a clear night  sky full of stars.  You were able to choose where to park your rig.  There are no assigned spots.... just pick your spot as close or as far from the edge as you dare.

Utah is a land full of fallen rocks..... How close to the edge would you dare to park?

The first night we were at Goosenecks we parked a ways from the edge... but moved closer the second night when I noticed all the rocks and bluffs were still in place by morning.

We set up our new home with enough time before dark to go for a walk out to the point.

 It was a long walk out to the point of the area where we were camped.  Across the canyon to one side was the rock formation we called Feet in the Sand.

As we turned to return to camp, the moon emerged into the  pink sky.

Without the light from the moon it was night sky was shrouded in darkness leaving only a slight glow in the moons place .  How blessed we were to be in a place with out light other than from the stars

The next morning, it appeared the magic was still with us.

In a place so filled with cosmic energy, people seemed to look for ways to make connection with the universe beyond their understanding.

Our time in this place was truly magical.

 

Moving on from Moab

How can I even think of leaving Moab.  It feels like we have just seen the tip of the iceberg.  Every time I consult a map or guide I find so much more that I want to do.  But I feel the road calling me.  There is just so much world out there to see.

I WANT TO SEE IT ALL!

As we are preparing the Lolita for travel I hear the revving of engines and notice that the Jeeps are gathering for their morning run.  Normally when I here the road of engines or gathering of people I want to move as far away as fast as I can go.

But the Jeepers haven't been a problem at all up to this point although the busiest time for Jeep Safari will happen after we leave.  I must say the Safari organizers have done an excellent job of making the impact minimal.  I haven't seen vehicles off road except on marked trails and they have been respectful of others regarding noise.  I wish all ORV drivers were as considerate as the ones I have experienced this last week.  They would find themselves more welcome in sharing our great outdoors.

The sign gives me a chuckle.... I'm not going through an unknown surface or puddle with 'surprises' with my tow vehicle.... after all in addition to 4 wheel adventures, Hoss (my trusty truck) hauls my little home from place to place).

 So Not Worth the Risk!



Rain the day before left puddles to another camping loop underwater.  I have thought of the desert as so thirsty that when a rain comes it would soak right in, however the crusty ground forms a hard surface that water either sits on or runs off causing flooding.  Not always a safe place to be, so it is imperative to be aware of your surroundings at all times. The desert has many lessons to teach me for sure!

 The sign as you are leaving south out of Moab say's Moab, Again and Again!

Yes, Moab, I will return!!

There is always an air of excitement as the road stretches out before me with Lolita following behind.  Sometimes I have a vague idea about where I'm headed other times it is planned out in detail.  

Today is of the vague variety.

Again my sights move to the La Sal Mountains.  The last couple of days have resulted in rain in the lowlands.....SNOW in the mountains.

The plains have opened in a flat expanse leading to the mountains.

I love the desert but my heart is also drawn to the mountains. 

We viewed the Wilson Arch from the pullout from the Highway heading south from Moab.  How wonderful to view another arch from the comfort of the truck.  These weary feet deserve a rest today.

We headed south to Canyon lands, the Needles Unit. 

 

There is extensive canyons to explore....but mostly that will wait for a follow up trip to the main part of the Southern Canyon lands.  A lot of the area is best seen by packing into the back country...(read sleeping on the ground) and is not in my future.  This trip the only vista I will be visiting is the Needles Overlook before heading farther south. 

This is the closest we have come to a wild flower meadow.
How precious is each bloom in the desert.

A beautiful reminder.... we never know what lies before us in our fragile lives.

 

Newspaper Rock Petroglyphs

During my time in Utah I have hunted for petroglyphs.  This has been the most beautiful panel I have found.   A follow up post will show more of the panels.

 Many messages from past lay before us.

Remnants from Pioneer Ranching

 

What a hard life these pioneers lived.

Eventually the land swallowed up their lives and future.

Can you almost hear the cowboy western music playing softly in the background.

The snow during the chill of the night left it's mark on the landscape....

Wait until you see 

where we will be next be living large.... on the edge!