The Utah Park Service Says These Look Like Mushrooms
Goblin Valley State Park is in a pretty secluded section of Utah's Castle Country. It features miles of impressive rock formations called "goblins" that were carved by wind and water. The Utah State Park Service says they look like mushrooms. I think they're more like spires wearing funny hats, myself.
We overheard a Moab local telling some other travelers this park was worth a detour off the beaten path. "Dude, it's fields of twigs and berries," he said. "You gotta check it out."
I just looked at Rufus and shrugged my shoulders, because we'd just been there the day before. There wasn't a single tree in sight — I have no idea what that guy means.
The visitor center in the park hosts an inspiring little contest. Participants may pick up a form to create and name their own precious goblin. The ranger station is lined with children's drawings.
"Yeah, the little ones are cute," the Ranger told us. "But when they get about 13 or 14 the submissions start looking a little, uh, weird." Then he leaned in and half-whispered. "We don't put those up."
Vacation always makes me feel like a kid again, so I grabbed a form to play along too. I probably won't send it to the state park service, but I'll share it here with you.
Yesterday I took my drawing to the corner drugstore photo center to be scanned. The woman helping me stopped short in the middle of a story about her daughter's school when the image appeared on screen.
"What IS that?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.
"It's a goblin," I told her. "They're rocks at a Utah state park."
"Ohhhh," she said with some confusion. Drawing it out while she tried to come up with something else to say. "I thought it was a..." She laughed. "Oh, never mind."
I didn't press her for more details. But she must have been thinking of something else. I don't know about you, but I've never before seen a drawing of something described as a mushroom make someone blush.
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We overheard a Moab local telling some other travelers this park was worth a detour off the beaten path. "Dude, it's fields of twigs and berries," he said. "You gotta check it out."
I just looked at Rufus and shrugged my shoulders, because we'd just been there the day before. There wasn't a single tree in sight — I have no idea what that guy means.
 |
The visitor center in the park hosts an inspiring little contest. Participants may pick up a form to create and name their own precious goblin. The ranger station is lined with children's drawings.
"Yeah, the little ones are cute," the Ranger told us. "But when they get about 13 or 14 the submissions start looking a little, uh, weird." Then he leaned in and half-whispered. "We don't put those up."
Vacation always makes me feel like a kid again, so I grabbed a form to play along too. I probably won't send it to the state park service, but I'll share it here with you.
 *Cut off at bottom: 30-something years old. |
Yesterday I took my drawing to the corner drugstore photo center to be scanned. The woman helping me stopped short in the middle of a story about her daughter's school when the image appeared on screen.
"What IS that?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.
"It's a goblin," I told her. "They're rocks at a Utah state park."
"Ohhhh," she said with some confusion. Drawing it out while she tried to come up with something else to say. "I thought it was a..." She laughed. "Oh, never mind."
I didn't press her for more details. But she must have been thinking of something else. I don't know about you, but I've never before seen a drawing of something described as a mushroom make someone blush.
Posted by TheWordWire at 9/17/2009 11:41 AM 
Categories: Earth and Sky
Tags: Utah Goblin Valley State Park
Categories: Earth and Sky
Tags: Utah Goblin Valley State Park
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