Turn your car into a storytelling vehicle and let a GPS-driven audio guide lead you through Goblin Valley’s otherworldly hoodoos. This 15+ mile, 1–2 hour self-guided driving tour pairs geology, rock art and landmark stops with hands-free narration you can use offline.
More ways to explore the area's outdoor wonders
You pull off Temple Mountain Road into a wide gravel turnout, the car engine cooling as a voice begins to speak through your phone. Ahead, the desert floor folds into clusters of squat, mushroom-shaped hoodoos—goblins in orange and rust—waiting for the light to define their faces.
Difficulty
easy
Duration
1–2 hours
Fitness Level
Suitable for all fitness levels—minimal walking required unless you choose to hike viewpoints.
Wildlife
History
The San Rafael Swell and surrounding canyons preserve layers of Mesozoic sandstone and rock art styles—Barrier Canyon pictographs predate later Fremont habitations—and the area has long housed travelers and Indigenous peoples.
Conservation
Stick to established pullouts and trails to protect delicate sandstone and rock art; avoid touching pictographs and carry out all trash to minimize human impact.
Reserve your spot on the Goblin Valley Self Guided Driving Audio Tour today and enjoy a trusted, highly rated experience designed to help you make the most of your adventure.
Download the tour before you arrive
Use Wi‑Fi or cellular to download the Action Tour Guide tour and media ahead of your trip—once downloaded it works offline.
Bring plenty of water and sun protection
High desert sun and limited shade make 1–2 liters per person and sun protection essential, even for short stops.
This is not an entrance ticket
Buy park admission separately and check Goblin Valley State Park opening hours; the audio tour does not grant access by itself.
Drive slowly and park at designated pullouts
Follow audio cues to authorized parking areas—stopping on the shoulder can damage formations and is unsafe for other visitors.
Water bottle (1–2L)
Hydration is crucial in exposed desert conditions.
summer
Sunscreen and wide‑brim hat
Protects against intense sun at elevation and reflective sandstone surfaces.
summer
Portable battery pack
Keeps your phone and downloaded tour running through stops and photography.
Sturdy closed-toe shoes
Useful for short walks from pullouts onto uneven sandstone and over talus.
spring