Believed to be evil, greedy, or mischievous, goblins are mythical creatures who bring trouble to humans, appearing in the folklore of multiple European cultures first attested in stories from the Middle Ages. Goblin Valley State Park, off Highway 24 at the San Rafael Swell in Utah includes an area where soft sandstone has eroded into interesting shapes, somewhat resembling these mythological goblins. In some spots the rock formations are close together and produce a maze-like playground ideal for exploration.

Paula and I visited Goblin Valley on December 26, 2020 on the first day of a five-day swing through canyon country in southern Utah. Most of our time there was spent walking in the Valley of Goblins, spanning nearly three square miles of free-roaming area that can be explored without need of rigid route finding. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit, having a great deal of fun. There were a lot of “wonder where this goes,” and “what’s over there?” comments throughout.

Late in the afternoon we also visited nearby Little Wild Horse Canyon, but didn’t go very far into the slots as dark was fast approaching. Paula was disappointed because she really wanted to experience a true slot canyon. We will find one for her as our future adventures continue.

When we left the area, we headed out on Scenic Highway 24 to Torrey, UT for our next day at Capitol Reef National Park. We were treated to a remarkable sunset along the way, with several stops for pictures. I’ve always been a huge fan of the Utah red rock country, so this trip brought back many fond memories of earlier excursions. It was so nice to share them now with Paula.

This gallery includes pictures from Goblin Valley State Park, Little Wild Horse Canyon, and a sunset along Highway 24. Enjoy the photos, and please feel free to comment.

One of these days you are likely to look up and see that Colorado National Monument, along with McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, has become a full-fledged national park. The stunning scenery certainly qualifies. With the acreage included in MCNCA, the size is there as well. The combination of NPS units offers a myriad of front country hiking trails and backcountry adventure.

A fellow named John Otto is who we can thank for the development of this picturesque and historic region of western Colorado near the small town of Fruita. Beginning in 1906 he built trails and started work on what would become the Rim Road. Otto once said, “I came here last year and found these canyons, and they feel like the heart of the world to me. I’m going to stay and build trails and promote this place, because it should be a national park.” Not long after, in 1911, President Taft signed the proclamation that established Colorado National Monument.

When I left North Carolina to join Paula out west, our home base was the little town of Loma, also near CNM. So we spent many days after her work, and on weekends exploring the region. I have been to Colorado National Monument a few times before when my brother lived in Colorado and have written trail reports, including this one of Monument Canyon. This post also includes some pictures from Monument Canyon, with a winter contrast.

On December 19, 2020 Paula and I drove the Rim Road from Devils Kitchen in the east to Balanced Rock at the west entrance. The Rim Road is 17 miles of stunning red rock scenery. Each curve will leave you breathless from the natural beauty that surrounds you. The photo at the top of this post is looking down into Monument Canyon from above. Then, on December 31 we took an afternoon hike up the lower section of Monument Canyon after a fresh snowfall. Simply delightful.

This gallery will give you a small idea of what Colorado National Monument is all about… from above, and from below. Enjoy the photos, and feel free to comment.

There’s not much more beautiful than the high country along the Blue Ridge Parkway in June. The days are long. The forest has completed its greening and the heath bushes are in bloom. If you catch the sights in the evening or very early morning you can even avoid the crowds.

I’ve been on the shelf for a few weeks with an ankle injury while hiking, and was really suffering fear of missing out anguish. I can’t do much walking, so I came up with a plan that would enable me to combine my volunteer work on the Parkway with a chance to catch a sunset and sunrise from Black Balsam at milepost 420.

I loaded my foam sleeping pad in the back of my Subaru and headed to Pounding Mill Overlook at 6:00 PM to pick up trash. When done, I continued another few miles west to the Black Balsam spur road. The air was cool as a cold front has been hanging over the Southern Appalachians for a few days. It was jacket weather, but the good news was the high pressure and persistent breeze had cleared out the haze, leaving crystal clear sky and long distance viewing.

From my perch at 6,000 feet over Graveyard Fields and Looking Glass Rock, I planned on enjoying the sunset, and the sunrise. I brought a picnic to while away the time as I took pictures from my tripod and watched the scenery change with ever lengthening shadows. The moon was hanging over the scene, about three-quarters full, adding natural lighting and ambiance.

Once it was dark, I enjoyed the star constellations and wispy clouds for an hour before crawling into my Subaru for some shuteye. I got up once around midnight to see if the Milky Way was visible, but there was too much light from the moon and the towns of Brevard and Hendersonville… even Greenville way off in the distance.

Back to sleep, I got up again at 6:00 AM, and was quickly energized by the 41° temp and 25 mph wind that greeted me. Brrr! Good thing I came prepared with plenty of warm clothes.

I setup the tripod, and waited patiently for that big orange globe to make its daily appearance on the eastern horizon. I was not disappointed. The sunrise was magnificent. While the cloudless sky did not light up the entire arena with hues of pink and orange, it did enable clear viewing all the way to the Black Mountains far north of Asheville. Très bon.

After sixty minutes enjoying the golden hour, I packed up and headed 10 miles further west, stopping for occasional photos along the way. Finishing up at Herrin Knob, it was time to call it a day. I was back home by 9:30. All in all, a wonderful adventure. It wasn’t as exciting as getting out on the trail, but was pretty darn nice for an old geezer hobbling around on one leg.

The photos below are from the evening of June 13, 2019 and morning of June 14. Feel free to make any comments below the gallery, or tell me about your overnight experiences in the high country. Thanks for visiting!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Have you ever spent several pre-dawn hours climbing to the summit of a mountain so that you can get the best angle to see the sunrise?

Some people will go to great lengths to witness the daily dramas of sunrise and sunset. It’s not just about watching the big yellow ball appear or disappear over the horizon, but about the surrounding landscapes and clouds at the same time.

A handful of the most dramatic dawn and dusk destinations are inside U.S. national parks.

Some sun-viewing spots are well known and filled with photographers each morning and evening. Others are remote and difficult to access, so you’ll have to share the panoramas with only a few intrepid hikers.

Here are some great places to watch the sunrise or sunset in U.S. national parks…