The geology of Goblin Valley State Park (PI-65)

By: M. R. Milligan The captivating and oddly shaped stone sculptures that serve as the centerpiece of Goblin Valley State Park are the product of millions of years of intricate geological processes. As you wander through the park, you encounter rocks that tell the story of ancient seas, weathered shorelines, winding river channels, and dry playas, all woven together in a mosaic of time. Over millennia, layers of sand, silt, and clay accumulated, becoming deeply buried under the weight of the Earth, ultimately transforming into solid rock. In a dramatic twist of fate, immense tectonic forces later uplifted this region, setting the stage for an extraordinary journey of erosion. As the rocks emerged from their subterranean slumber, they were subjected to the relentless forces of nature—water, wind, and frost—each playing a crucial role in sculpting the fantastical goblins we see today. The presence of fractures and variations in rock hardness allowed these erosional agents to carve out in