Goblin Valley, Utah
Description:
Unusual rock formations can be found in the San Raphael desert near the town of Hanksville, Utah. Thousands of miniature stones and rocks of the most bizarre shapes, like mushrooms in a clearing, hide from human eyes between the hills, keeping their secret. Had it not been for one enterprising businessman named Arthur Chaffin, who paved an alternative route between the aforementioned city and the Green River in the 1920s, the rocks would still be unknown to the public. It was he who took the first pictures in 1949, when he specially returned to the mysterious place and spent 2 days studying the mushroom mounds. This was his second acquaintance with the unusual terrain, while the first time he encountered it in the early twentieth century and called the "Valley of the Goblins" because of the similarity of stones covering the desert plateau with fairy-tale characters.
After the photos were published, curious travelers did not wait long. They were in the midst of a grotesque crowd. In order to preserve the unique natural object, it was decided to declare this territory a protected area. So now free movement around the reserve is impossible – only on special tourist routes (Carmel Canyon, Curtis Bench and Entrada Canyon). For lovers of nature recreation, the reserve offers a camping for 25 places with hot shower and drinking water.
Scientists say that the goblins are about 170 million years old, and all this time they were honed by the sun, wind and water. In other words, they acquired their fantastic forms due to natural erosion. What to say, nature has unlimited possibilities. and fantasies. Each researcher of this unusual phenomenon sees something of his own in the silent images and assigns them the appropriate names - "Three Kings", "Brothers and Sisters", "Molly Castle", etc. In one of the figures I found a resemblance to a tortoise resting on a stone. There is certainly something to see and wonder about in the Goblin Valley. I suggest you go to this wonderful corner of the planet and make some fantastic photos.
Photographs (8)
