When Goblin Valley was Mushroom Valley

By Lynn Arave


GOBLIN Valley was originally known as Mushroom Valley.
That's what Arthur L. Chaffin, who roamed the area and was the first known white man to report seeing the formations called it in the 1930s.
Chaffin starting exploring the area in 1932, when there weren't even any established roads there. 
He finally bragged about this "Mushroom" Valley" in 1949 he took some outside visitors along with him to see it.

Utahns were impressed. By 1964, it was purchased and designated as a Utah State Park. "Goblin" won out as a name, being more mysterious and colorful than a mushroom title.
However, the road into Goblin Valley was not paved until about 1990. It used to be a wash-boardy sandy road for the final 7 miles or so to the park.

(-The Davis County Clipper newspaper of Oct. 30, 1964 ran a feature on the new state park.)