Yurts Gear Checklist
The Goblin Valley Yurts come with beds, a table, a heater and a grill, but nothing soft to sleep in and nothing to cook with. Guests bring their own bedding and food, and winter guests plan for a heater that struggles. The park is remote, with no food or fuel inside it and almost no phone signal, so the list is mostly about what you load in the car before the last gas stop.
What shapes your gear on Goblin Valley Yurts
- What the park supplies
- Each of the two yurts has a heater and a swamp cooler, a single bed bunked over a double bed, a futon, and a table with four chairs. There are deck chairs, an outdoor grill, and propane at no charge. Tents, RVs and trailers are not allowed at the yurts, and check-in is at 3 p.m.
From Utah State Parks
- What it does not supply
- The state tourism office says no blankets, pillows, cookware or plates are provided. A family that stayed one night confirms that you bring your own sleeping bags and a cooler, because there is no fridge. They add that a spatula is on hand but you may want your own cooking tools.
From Visit Utah (Utah Office of Tourism) and The Minivan Bucket List
- Winter cold
- A pair who arrived in a late December snowstorm found it was 37 F inside the yurt, and the heater lifted it to a high of 62 F the first night. On the second night the outside air dropped into the single digits and the inside topped out at 54 F. The author also told another reader the heater does not warm the yurt much when it is cold out.
From ADVENTR.co
- Beds and power
- One writer says the yurt sleeps four rather than five because the top bunk is level with its rail, so a person could roll off. She adds that the yurts run on solar power and ask guests to go easy on lights and fans.
From Reckless Roaming
- Which yurt
- Yurt 1 is tucked into the rocks and gets more privacy and a better view, according to one writer. Yurt 2 sits near the road and parking area. Yurt 1 is the photogenic one, so expect onlookers.
From Reckless Roaming
- Remote setting
- Fuel is 32 miles away in Hanksville, and the park has no food service. The nearest towns are about 30 minutes off, and two writers report no useful cell service. The state tourism office calls it a remote, rugged area and warns that lightning danger is severe in the exposed valley.
From Reckless Roaming, The Minivan Bucket List and Visit Utah (Utah Office of Tourism)
What the agency requires on Goblin Valley Yurts
A plan that does not include a tent
The park bars tents, RVs and trailers at the yurts, so extra sleepers cannot camp beside them.
From Utah State Parks
Pets on a leash and a fee for each dog
The yurts take up to two dogs only, for $20 each. Pets stay leashed, are cleaned up after and are never left unattended.
From Utah State Parks
Fires in the provided rings only
Campground fires belong in the designated rings and grills. Digging and gathering firewood are prohibited.
From Utah State Parks
Your own bedding, cookware and plates
The state tourism page lists blankets, pillows, cookware and plates as items guests must provide for themselves.
What hikers carry on Goblin Valley Yurts
Sleeping bags, pillows and spare blankets
No bedding comes with the yurt. A family that stayed one night says sleeping bags are on you, and another writer lists bedding as the first thing to pack. Winter guests lean on a warm bag more than on the heater.
From The Minivan Bucket List, Reckless Roaming and ADVENTR.co
A cooler and all your food
There is no fridge in the yurt and no food service in the park. One writer says to bring your own food and fill your gas tank before the drive, since the nearest station is 32 miles away.
From The Minivan Bucket List and Reckless Roaming
Your own pot, pan and cooking tools
The state provides a grill and propane. A family that used the grill on the deck says the yurt has only a spatula, so they suggest bringing your own cooking equipment. Cooking on the grill was their favorite part of the stay.
From Utah State Parks and The Minivan Bucket List
Winter layers and a hat
A December couple saw 37 F indoors on arrival and a high of 62 F once the heater ran. By the second night the outside air was in the single digits, and they skipped night photos because it was too cold.
From ADVENTR.co
Boots for mud and microspikes in snow
After a snowfall the same pair found the ravines slippery and sloppy, and they were glad to have microspikes for the scramble up to Goblin's Lair. They left wet gear by the door to dry.
From ADVENTR.co
A windbreaker or hat, sunscreen and sunglasses
One guide says the valley can get really windy and that it is easy to sunburn even on cloudy days. The trails have little or no shade.
From Reckless Roaming
Plenty of drinking water
A planning guide suggests a gallon per person per day for the hikes, even though water is available at the campground.
From Reckless Roaming
An offline trail map
The same writer says many trails in the valleys are unmarked or poorly marked, and that most visitors wander off trail. With almost no cell signal, a map saved to the phone is the plan.
From Reckless Roaming and The Minivan Bucket List
Going as a group? Split this list between you so nobody carries two stoves.
Plan a trip hereWhat hikers regret or leave behind on Goblin Valley Yurts
A camp stove
The park provides an outdoor grill with propane at no charge, and the guests who cooked on the deck used it.
From Utah State Parks
A tent for the overflow
The park does not allow tents at the yurts. One writer also says the yurt is closer to four people than five.
From Utah State Parks and Reckless Roaming
Counting on the top bunk
The mattress is level with the rail, so the writer called it unusable. The futon and the lower bed are the sleeping spots.
From Reckless Roaming
Counting on the heater in a cold snap
The December guests reached 62 F inside at best, and on the coldest night only 54 F. They went to bed early rather than going outside for night photos.
From ADVENTR.co
A plan that needs cell signal
Two writers saw no useful signal in the park, so directions and bookings are set before the gas stop.
From Reckless Roaming and The Minivan Bucket List
Gear questions for Goblin Valley Yurts
Do the Goblin Valley Yurts come with bedding?
No. The state tourism office says blankets, pillows, cookware and plates are not provided, so bring your own sleeping bags, pillows and food. The yurts do have a bunk bed, a futon and a table with chairs.
From Visit Utah (Utah Office of Tourism) and Utah State Parks
Do the Goblin Valley Yurts have heat and a grill?
Yes. Each yurt has a heater and a swamp cooler. There is an outdoor grill, and propane is provided at no charge. On a cold winter night the heater only lifted one December pair from 37 F to 62 F inside.
From Utah State Parks and ADVENTR.co
Can you pitch a tent at the Goblin Valley Yurts?
No. Tents, RVs and trailers are not permitted at the yurts, so plan the group around the beds inside.
From Utah State Parks
Can you bring a dog to the Goblin Valley Yurts?
Up to two dogs are allowed, for $20 each. They stay on a leash and are never left alone, and the park lists dogs only.
From Utah State Parks
Is there cell service or food near the Goblin Valley Yurts?
Almost none. Writers report little or no cell signal in the park, and fuel is 32 miles away in Hanksville. Bring your food and fill the tank before you arrive.
From Reckless Roaming and The Minivan Bucket List
Sources
- Camping and Yurts, Goblin Valley State Park · Utah State Parks · Agency
- Goblin Valley State Park · Visit Utah (Utah Office of Tourism) · Agency
- First Yurt Experience: Goblin Valley State Park · ADVENTR.co · Trip report
- Goblin Valley Yurt for $100: A Bucket List Camping Experience · The Minivan Bucket List, JJ · Blog
- One Day Itinerary [+ Yurt Info!] for Goblin Valley State Park · Reckless Roaming, Kristin Quinn · Blog