Reservation7/10
Behind the Butte East Primitive cancellations
Primitive campground east of the valley....
Goblin Valley Yurts Permit
Goblin Valley State Park · Utah
One date at a time
Two heated yurts in the main campground. Extremely limited.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Yurts were gone within 5 minutes.
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Yurts Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodReservation
Demand LevelExtremely High9/10
SeasonYear-round - Year-round
Cost$150 + tax per night; $20 extra vehicle fee; $20 per dog (maximum two dogs)
Daily Quota2 permits
Yurts Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Yurts in Goblin Valley State Park, Utah requires a permit issued via reservation.
- Yurts is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 9/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The permit season for Yurts runs year-round.
- Cancelled Yurts permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
SeasonYear-round - Year-round
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodReservation
Demand Level9/10
LocationSan Rafael Swell, UT
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.
What to Expect
Route Details
Route Type
Varies
Duration
1-3 nights
Difficulty
EasyHighlights
- •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
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.
Hazards & Considerations
- !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
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
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Backcountry Tips
- Windy conditions: Bring wind-resistant shelter if camping.
Today
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Wed
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View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
How to Get This Permit
1
Create an account before permits drop
Find this permit on the managing agency's booking system and set up an account with your payment info ready.
2
Know the release schedule
Permits typically release on a rolling basis. Check the specific release time for your desired dates.
3
Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
4
Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
Learn More
When to Go
Peak: March through May and September through OctoberShoulder: November through February
Conditions
The park's own pick, alongside autumn - comfortable days for walking the valleys, cool nights.
Crowd Level
HighAdvantages
- +Best hiking temperatures of the year
- +Long days in the Valley of Goblins
- +Clear night skies before summer haze
Challenges
- !Spring break demand on two yurts
- !Wind can blow hard and carry sand
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand1/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill1/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk2/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation2/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment2/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
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.
Recommended Experience
None for the yurt. The Valley of Goblins has no maintained trails, so basic desert route-finding helps once you are out among the formations.
Not Recommended For
Groups of more than eight, anyone bringing more than two dogs, and anyone who cannot book at 8 a.m. Mountain time exactly four months out or hunt a cancellation.
About This Permit
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.
The Experience
Why It Matters
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 Route
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.
The Feeling
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.
Trailhead Information
Goblin Valley Campground
5,000 ft elevationThe main 24-site campground, where both yurts sit. Restroom and shower facilities are centrally located, and the Valley of Goblins pavilion is a short walk away.
Restrooms
Water on site
Weak Signal
Parking
Each reservation covers one vehicle and attached recreational equipment; an extra vehicle is $20.
Getting There
The park is located 50 miles southwest of Green River off State Highway 24. An entrance fee is required at all times.
Nearest Services
Green River, 50 miles northeast. Firewood is sold at the park visitor center.
Rules & Regulations
- •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 Checklist
Required
- 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
Plan Your Trip
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Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Yurts
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Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
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Key Landmarks
Valley of the Goblins
Three square miles of hoodoos across three undeveloped valleys; Valley Three is a five-mile round trip
The Three Sisters
A 250-yard trail to the most iconic goblin formation in the park
Carmel Canyon
1.5-mile moderately strenuous loop connecting to Goblin's Lair and the Three Sisters
Goblin's Lair
3-mile out and back to a cave; exposed, sandy, and requires basic bouldering skills to climb in
Curtis Bench
2.1-mile out and back following the Curtis formation, with views over the goblins to the Henry Mountains
Wild Horse Window
2-mile out and back following cairns on slickrock, off the second road after the park entrance sign
Yurts FAQ
How many yurts does Goblin Valley State Park have?
Two. The campground at Goblin Valley consists of 24 sites and two yurts. They were constructed in 2011 and were the first yurts in the Utah State Parks system.
How far in advance can I reserve a Goblin Valley yurt?
Four months to the day, and the window opens at 8 a.m. Mountain Standard Time. Book through ReserveAmerica or call 1-800-322-3770.
How much does a Goblin Valley yurt cost?
$150 plus tax per night. An extra vehicle is $20, and up to two dogs are allowed at $20 each.
What is inside a Goblin Valley yurt?
Heat and a swamp cooler, a single bed bunked on top of a double bed, a futon couch, and a table with four chairs. Outside there are deck chairs and a grill with propane supplied free of charge. Bedding is not provided.
Can I bring a dog to a Goblin Valley yurt?
Yes - a maximum of two pets, dogs only, at $20 each. Pets must be under control at all times on a leash no longer than six feet.
Is Goblin Valley a Dark Sky Park?
Yes. Goblin Valley is a certified International Dark Sky Park, formally designated in 2016 after a two-year application process, and the park describes its skies as virtually free of light pollution from populated areas.
What hikes are near the Goblin Valley yurts?
Valley of the Goblins starts steps from the pavilion and covers three square miles with no maintained trails; Valley Three is a five-mile round trip. Carmel Canyon is a 1.5-mile loop, Goblin's Lair a 3-mile out and back to a cave, the Three Sisters a 250-yard walk, and Curtis Bench a 2.1-mile out and back.
Where is Goblin Valley State Park?
50 miles southwest of Green River, Utah, off State Highway 24, at about 5,000 feet. The park is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day and an entrance fee is required at all times.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
Sign in to report trail conditions.
Trip Reports
Write ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
Last light across the Valley of Goblins, when the low sun separates the hoodoos from their own shadows and the sandstone turns orange.
Best Light
Astrophotography after full dark - this is a certified Dark Sky Park, virtually free of light pollution from populated areas, and the Milky Way over the hoodoos is the shot people come for.
Beat the Crowds
The valleys have no maintained trails, so walking ten minutes past Valley One puts you alone. Valley Three, a five-mile round trip, sheds almost everybody. Staying in the yurt gets you the valley at sunrise and after dark, when the day visitors are gone.
Classic Shots
- 📍The Three Sisters, 250 yards from the trailhead and the formation on every souvenir in the park
- 📍Milky Way arcing over the Valley of Goblins
- 📍Hoodoo fields from the Curtis Bench trail with the Henry Mountains behind them
- 📍Light beam into the cave at the end of the Goblin's Lair trail
- 📍A yurt lit from inside at blue hour with the desert going dark around it
Can't Get a Yurts Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Behind the Butte East Primitive
Same AreaPrimitive campground east of the valley, inside the park.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
No heat, no cooler, no walls - but it books far more easily and puts you in the same dark sky.
Little Wild Horse Road Dispersed
Same AreaDispersed camping along Little Wild Horse Canyon Road, outside the park boundary.
No permit needed
Tradeoffs
No reservation needed at all, but no facilities either - stay on designated roads and use pre-existing fire pits.
Wingate Yurts, Dead Horse Point
Similar ExperienceFour yurts on the rim at Dead Horse Point State Park, near Moab.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Bigger yurts sleeping six with AC, a fridge and a microwave, and a 2,000-foot canyon view - but no hoodoos and a longer drive.
Fossil Flats Improved Primitive Campground
Similar ExperiencePrimitive campground at Utahraptor State Park near Moab, with red rock views and dark skies.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Newer, quieter and easier to book, but primitive camping rather than a heated yurt.
🏕️
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