Green River & Goblins: Desert Museums, Mushroom Rocks & One-Way Road Woes

The TinMan Adventures
Nov 1
4 min read

Updated: Nov 12

October 2024

A scenic illustrated cover for Utah Adventure Part 2 on The TinMan Adventures blog, featuring red rock formations, winding desert roads, and a travel trailer beneath a bright blue sky, capturing the spirit of family road trips and outdoor exploration through Utah’s stunning landscapes.

Welcome back to our Utah adventure! If you’re just joining us, make sure to check out Part 1, where we explored Page, Arizona and Lake Powell, and Part 2, where Escalante treated us to wild rock formations, a splash-happy river trail, and the best pizza we’ve had in Utah.

After Escalante wore us out—in the best possible way—we hit the road again and rolled into Green River State Park. We were ready for some rest, but Utah wasn’t done dazzling us just yet. From dinosaur discoveries to goblin-shaped rock formations and an unexpected traffic jam in the middle of nowhere, this leg of our trip was anything but boring.

Green River State Park: Shady, Spacious, and Just a Little Noisy

This campground was a pleasant surprise. Nestled along the river, Green River State Park had tall shade trees, roomy sites with water and electric hookups, and the cleanest bathrooms and showers we’d seen on this trip so far. There’s even a golf course and a frisbee golf course right next door.

The only downside? Train tracks nearby. The sound of trains rumbling by added some charm… until bedtime. Let’s just say we became very aware of every scheduled departure overnight.

📍 Fun fact: The Green River itself is famous in river-running history. In 1869, John Wesley Powell (the same explorer Lake Powell is named after) launched his legendary expedition down the Green and Colorado Rivers, mapping uncharted canyons along the way. Today, this stretch is a popular launch point for float trips into Labyrinth Canyon.

Exploring Price: Supplies, Shopping & Science

After a lazy first day in Green River, we made a supply run into Price. Compared to the tiny towns we’d been through, this felt like a metropolis. We hit up Walmart and Tractor Supply (mom was thrilled to shop in big stores), and while we were there, we decided to check out the Utah State University Prehistoric Museum.

This museum was awesome—especially for a small town. Fossils, dinosaur skeletons, Native American artifacts, and a ton of exhibits on ancient Utah life. We didn’t expect to enjoy it so much, but we learned a lot. Definitely worth the visit! To learn more about this amazing museum click here.

Tip: If you’re traveling with kids (or dinosaur lovers), this is a must-stop.

Goblin Valley State Park: Like Walking on Another Planet

Next up: Goblin Valley—one of the weirdest and most wonderful places we’ve ever been. This park is famous for its bizarre rock formations that look like mushrooms, people, and creatures from some alien landscape. It’s no surprise that part of the movie Galaxy Quest was filmed here.

The formations were created about 170 million years ago, when this area was part of an ancient tidal flat along a vast inland sea. Layers of sand, silt, and clay hardened into what geologists call the Entrada Sandstone. Over millions of years, wind and water sculpted the softer rock away, leaving behind these strange “goblins.”

Walking through the valley felt like stepping into a natural playground. You can wander anywhere—no designated trails—so it’s especially fun for kids (and kids-at-heart). We could’ve spent hours exploring the hoodoos and weaving through the maze-like clusters.

Trail Notes:

Campground inside Goblin Valley, no hook-ups.
Open exploration—no official trail system, but easy to roam around.
Summer heat can be brutal here. Best times: spring/fall or mornings.

Note: The campground inside Goblin Valley has cool shaded ramadas but no hookups—great for dry-camping, not so great for RVers who like their AC.

Lunch with a View & an Unexpected Detour

After exploring Goblin Valley, we had lunch under one of the big ramadas. It was breezy, beautiful, and felt like we were on another planet. That should’ve been the relaxing end to our day. But no…

We noticed we were only 65 miles from the Bullfrog section of Lake Powell, so we decided to check it out. Easy detour, right? Nope.

Turns out, they were resurfacing the road, which meant one-way traffic, construction delays, and a full-blown hold-up caused by a stuck belly dump trailer. Our “quick trip” took 1.5 hours one way. At least the skies were overcast, and the breeze was lovely.

When we finally arrived at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (Bullfrog Marina), it was worth dealing with the detour. The landscape here looked totally different from the Arizona side of Lake Powell. There’s a small visitor center, campground, and even a hotel.

We pulled out our chairs, soaked in the view, and just sat there in silence—trying not to think about the long drive back.

📍 Fun fact: Bullfrog Marina is one of the few developed marinas on the Utah side of Lake Powell, and it’s a launch point for houseboats. It gets its name from a rock formation nearby that supposedly looks like a crouching bullfrog.

Wrap-Up

Back at camp, we were toast. No cooking. Just leftovers and early bedtime. But the wild rocks, dino discoveries, and surprise detours made this leg of the trip one to remember.