How to Get a Yurts Permit
Two heated yurts on the edge of a valley of sandstone hoodoos, under a certified Dark Sky Park - and the booking window opens four months to the day at 8 a.m.
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Daily Permits
$150 + tax per night; $20 extra vehicle fee; $20 per dog (maximum two dogs)
Permit Cost
1-3 nights
Duration
easy
Difficulty
About Yurts
Goblin Valley State Park has exactly two yurts. They were built in 2011 and were the first of their kind in the Utah State Parks system, and they sit in the park's 24-site campground with centrally located restroom and shower facilities. Each yurt has heat and a swamp cooler, a single bed bunked on top of a double bed plus a futon couch, a table with four chairs inside, deck chairs outside, and an outdoor grill with propane supplied free. The rate is $150 plus tax. A maximum of two dogs are allowed in the yurts at $20 each, and an extra vehicle costs $20. Booking is the constraint. Everything at Goblin Valley - campsites, group site and both yurts - is booked four months to the day in advance, and the window opens at 8 a.m. Mountain Standard Time. Two yurts, one release moment: this is a permit where a cancellation watch does most of the real work. The park sits at 5,000 feet, 50 miles southwest of Green River off State Highway 24, and is a certified International Dark Sky Park, designated in 2016 after a two-year application process.
Goblin Valley built these in 2011 and they were the first yurts in the Utah State Parks system. Two of them serve a park with one of the darkest night skies on Earth, three square miles of free-roaming hoodoo terrain, and no shade anywhere. In a place where summer runs past 100 degrees and winter nights drop below freezing, a yurt with heat and a swamp cooler is not a luxury - it is what makes the shoulder seasons workable.
The Experience
Steps from the pavilion, the ground drops away into thousands of stone gnomes and you can just walk out among them - no maintained trail, no rope line. After dark it gets better. The park is virtually free of light pollution from populated areas, and the Milky Way comes up over the valley in a way most people have never actually seen. Then you go back inside, turn on the heat, and sleep in a bed.
The yurts sit in the main campground with the restroom and shower facilities centrally located, so the walk is short and the trailheads are close. Valley of the Goblins starts steps from the pavilion: three square miles of hoodoos across three undeveloped valleys with no maintained trails. Start with Valley One, work into Valley Two, and if you want the longer day, Valley Three is a five-mile round trip. Carmel Canyon is a 1.5-mile moderately strenuous loop that connects to the Goblin's Lair trail and the Three Sisters. Goblin's Lair itself is a 3-mile out and back that ends at a cave - exposed, sandy, and it needs basic bouldering skills to climb in. The Three Sisters are 250 yards from the trailhead and are the formation on every souvenir in the visitor center. For a wider view, Curtis Bench is a 2.1-mile out and back along the Curtis formation that opens up the Henry Mountains.
What to Expect
Two yurts total, both in the main campground with restrooms and showers centrally located
Heat and a swamp cooler in each yurt - the difference between a usable and an unusable shoulder season
A single bed bunked on top of a double bed, plus a futon couch
A table with four chairs inside, deck chairs outside, and an outdoor grill with propane free of charge
Reservations opening four months to the day in advance at 8 a.m. Mountain Standard Time
An extreme desert landscape with little or no shade, in the park's own words
One of the darkest night skies on Earth, virtually free of light pollution from populated areas
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Permit Requirements
Reservations open four months to the day in advance at 8 a.m. Mountain Standard Time
A maximum of two pets (dogs only) are allowed in the yurts, at $20 each
Up to eight people are allowed on a campsite; each reservation covers one vehicle and any attached recreational equipment, with an extra fee for additional vehicles
Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Campfires must be in designated fire rings only; firewood is sold at the visitor center
Bicycling is limited to paved roads and the approved bike trails by the Curtis Bench trail - not on hiking trails, unpaved campground sections, or in the Valley of Goblins
Do not climb fragile hoodoos or harm cryptobiotic soil and plants; all formations are protected by law
A drone permit is $15 per drone and a rappel permit is $4 per person
Length of stay is generally limited to 14 days within any 30-day period
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •Your own bedding - the yurts have beds and a futon, not linens
- •At least one gallon of water per person per day in summer, per park guidance
- •Sun protection and a wide-brimmed hat; the park calls itself an extreme desert landscape with little or no shade
- •Sturdy shoes with grip for slickrock and sand in the Valley of Goblins
- •A headlamp with a red mode for night sky viewing
- •Charcoal or grilling tools - propane for the outdoor grill is supplied by the park
Hazards & Safety
Summer temperatures over 100 degrees F with no shade anywhere in the Valley of Goblins
Lightning danger is severe in exposed locations - park guidance is to seek shelter in a building or vehicle during thunderstorms
Late-summer afternoon thunderstorms bring flash flooding in nearby washes and slot canyons
Winter nighttime temperatures drop below freezing, with occasional snow on the ground
Goblin's Lair requires basic bouldering skills to climb into and is exposed and sandy
The valleys have no maintained trails - it is easy to lose your bearings among identical formations
Best Time to Visit
Spring and autumn, per the park's own guidance. Summer temperatures can reach over 100 degrees F and there is no shade, and while late-summer afternoon thunderstorms bring a breeze they also bring lightning and flash flooding in nearby washes and slot canyons. Winter is quiet and clear but nighttime temperatures drop below freezing - which is exactly when a heated yurt earns its rate.
Pro Tips
Be on ReserveAmerica at 8 a.m. Mountain Standard Time exactly four months before your arrival date. With two yurts, that first minute is the whole game.
If you miss the window, put a cancellation watch on both yurts rather than picking a favorite - either one gets you the night.
Bring bedding. The yurts have a bunked bed and a futon couch, but no linens.
The park supplies propane for the outdoor grill free of charge, so you can leave your own canister at home.
Bring at least a gallon of water per person per day in summer. The park says so directly, and there is no shade to make it optional.
Walk Valley One at sunrise before the day visitors arrive - staying in the park is the only way to get that hour.
Skip the slot canyons if thunderstorms are forecast. Flash flooding in the nearby washes and slot canyons is the real late-summer risk here.
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Yurts permit?
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Yurts permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Yurts?
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Spring and autumn, per the park's own guidance. Summer temperatures can reach over 100 degrees F and there is no shade, and while late-summer afternoon thunderstorms bring a breeze they also bring lightning and flash flooding in nearby washes and slot canyons. Winter is quiet and clear but nighttime temperatures drop below freezing - which is exactly when a heated yurt earns its rate.
How difficult is Yurts?
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Anyone who wants the Valley of Goblins at sunrise and under the Milky Way without sleeping on the ground in an extreme desert. Families do well here - the walk to the hoodoos is measured in steps.
What gear do I need for Yurts?
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Essential gear includes: Your own bedding - the yurts have beds and a futon, not linens, At least one gallon of water per person per day in summer, per park guidance, Sun protection and a wide-brimmed hat; the park calls itself an extreme desert landscape with little or no shade, Sturdy shoes with grip for slickrock and sand in the Valley of Goblins, A headlamp with a red mode for night sky viewing. Additional specialized gear may be required based on conditions.
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