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In this month’s paid subscriber content I elaborate on my family trip to Monument Valley and the surrounding area. I wanted to introduce you to a lesser known Utah State Park we discovered along the way that maybe had a dozen or less people there when we went. The entry fee is $5 for day use (up to 8 people) and $2 pp for bus tour groups and $10 per night for a campsite. There’s no ranger on duty and there are sites along with rim, where fire-ring and picnic tables are located (first come, first served only). Conditions are primitive so bring your own water and firewood (vault toilets are available), but I think that’s just why you’ll love this place.
Welcome to Goosenecks State Park! This state park overlooks the San Juan River and is located near the southern border of the state, only a short distance from Mexican Hat, Utah. Millions of years ago, the Monument Upwarp forced the river to carve these meanders or goosenecks over 1,000 feet deep as the surrounding landscape rose. As with most canyons, wind, water, frost and gravity formed the area and the incised meanders.
There are no hiking or biking trails within the park and this park can be insanely hot during the summer months as there is no shade. But it’s dog-friendly as long as they’re on a leash and you can meander around the rim of the canyon to view the goosenecks from various angles. The best time for photography here is sunrise and sunset and with no light pollution in the area, it’s perfect for star-gazing and astro photography.
If paying to camp isn’t your thing, after visiting Goosenecks you can drive about 15 minutes down the road to Valley of the Gods BLM land. The road isn’t paved, but it’s well-grated although it can be impassible after heavy rains so plan accordingly. You can primitive camp here, although the general rule is to look for a spot that has been occupied before. You can usually tell if a spot has been used for camping by evidence of a fire ring, so if you don’t see any evidence a spot has been used before, then please look for one that does. This helps preserve the land for many years to come. There are no services or toilets in Valley of the Gods so you’ll have to pack in and pack out. We take our luggable loo with us (basically a bucket with a toilet seat we bought at Home Depot) and use wag bags (buy them on Amazon or an outdoor retailer) so we can pack out any waste.
You can drive Valley of the Gods from one end to the other and end up back on 163 and it takes about an hour. We stopped at a primitive camping spot for lunch and to let our dogs run around, and though we save a few cars and campers, this area isn’t nearly as busy as other areas of Utah. Since the Tribal park of Monument Valley is closed, this is a great alternative to explore.
There’s a lot more to do in this area of Southern Utah and though most people pass it by on the way to Page, Arizona to visit Horseshoe bend or raft the river or check out Antelope Canyon (currently closed due to COVID-19), I highly recommend exploring this area. Valley of the God’s doesn’t have designated hiking trails either, but you’ll notice several pull-out spots along the road and areas where others have hiked, so you can explore at your leisure.
The goosenecks of the San Juan are a rare and amazing geologic formation. Don’t miss your opportunity to visit this certified International Dark Sky Park on your next adventures around Southern Utah!
Want to know more about our trip around this unique slice of heaven in Utah?