Wild Horse Trail System
Goblin Valley State Park
Seven miles of singletrack mountain bike trail opened for riding in June 2015 at Goblin Valley State Park. The Wild Horse trail system sits on a small mesa west of (and above) the campground, with Wild Horse Butte looming above the trails to the north. No, you won't be riding among the hoodoos for which Goblin Valley is famous, which are better enjoyed at a strolling pace.

The trails form interconnected loops, so you can ride as much or as little as you want. To hit every single piece of trail, your minimum ride would be 8.7 miles with 800 vertical feet of climbing. Each trail fork has a trail map on a post. If you've been paying any attention at all, you shouldn't get lost.

While there are long stretches of flat smooth easy trail, there's also a lot dipping through washes. If you're taking true beginners or young children, expect that they'll likely dismount to hike through these spots. Overall, I'm rating the trail system as requiring early-intermediate skills. The hardest riding is on the north/west end of Lizard Foot, which I'd rate upper-intermediate.

Of the five loops in the system, only one (Buffalo Head) offers two-way traffic. The rest have a designated direction. That's because the one-way trails have sections of narrow trail on steep side-slope where passing would be difficult.

The one-way trails, unfortunately, will complicate your riding plan a little bit. But there are "you are here" trail maps at most intersections, with one-way "do not enter" signs on the exits from the one-ways. You'll figure it out.

The swoops, dips, and turns will make Wild Horse a joy to ride. High-speed desert cruising mixed with dips and turns. With great views all around.

The trails are hard packed, but there will be occasional spots of softer clay. Expect a bit of loose dirt here and there. Clay trails will rut when ridden wet. And the goop will stick to your bike like glue. Don't ride after rainstorms!

The first loop option is Buffalo Head, which you'll encounter after you pedal Lizard Foot 0.4 miles from the parking area. (Lizard Foot becomes a "do not enter" one-way trail at this point, so you must fork onto Buffalo Head.

At the next trail fork you can either fork right to head for the other three loops, or fork left for the full Buffalo Head loop. At the south end is a viewpoint on gray ledges of the Curtis Formation where you can see the Henry Mountains to the southwest.

As the Buffalo Head trail ends on the Landslide trail, you must keep right to head back to the center of the trail complex. Once you're there, you can take the one-way Landslide loop counterclockwise. (You'll repeat the short common section you rode when completing the Buffalo Head loop.) Landslide gets into the red dirt at the bottom of the Summerville Formation as it loops around a knoll and returns to the center of the riding area.

As you return to the central area, your next option is the Desert View trail. This is your one-way route to Lizard Foot or to Dark Side of the Moon on the northwest corner. For our narrative here, we'll assume you'll first ride the Desert View and Dark Side of the moon combo, then hit Lizard Foot on your way out.

Desert View hits the eastern and northern sides of the mesa, skirting the southern edge of Wild Horse Butte. The first viewpoint you'll hit is the Desert View overlook. Here you're looking into the campground and picnic areas, with the pavilion and parking for the hoodoos on the ridgeline to the southwest.

Next is the Wild Horse Butte overlook, where you can again admire the sandstone escarpments of the San Rafael, occupying the skyline to the north as far as the eye can see. Wild Horse Butte looms above you to the west of the viewpoint. This is the Summerville Formation, with a caprock of (I presume) Salt Wash sandstone.

Desert View heads west to a trail fork, where a left turn to stay on Desert View takes you back to the center of the riding area. A right turn continues along the edge of the cliffs on Dark Side of the Moon.

The Dark Side of the Moon trail follows the cliff line west for some fabulous views. At the northwestern corner of the mesa is the San Rafael viewpoint. Take a minute to admire the sharktooth southern edge of the San Rafael Swell. Tiptoe toward the edge and look at the spires in the cliffs of Entrada Formation below you.

As you complete Dark Side of the Moon riding counterclockwise, you'll speed back to the center of the trail system. This is a high-speed whooping ride slightly downhill. To your right are banded Summerville Formation cliffs.

As Dark Side of the Moon joins Desert View, you'll continue back to the central 4-way.

Now you're ready for the final loop, Lizard Foot.

Head north on Desert View again, but this time fork hard right onto Lizard Foot. The next mile is some of the most fun riding, with lots of turns and dips, mostly high-speed and hard-packed.

On Lizard Foot, you'll make a turn at the cliff-top viewpoint above Molly's Castle. Awesome gawking, but be careful here.

Lizard Foot will take you back to parking. Or, you can fork off onto Buffalo Head to do it again. Or to hit the pieces you missed on your first go-round.

Bottom Line!
Very nicely designed trail system. The riding and terrain here is unique. You won't find another trail system like this in Utah. And Goblin Valley is one of those places you absolutely must visit sooner or later. The bike trails give you another reason to go there, plus an excuse to stay longer.

You can't go to Goblin Valley without visiting the goblins. Neither could I.

The goblins are at the end of the paved road (left at the T as you were entering, right as you hit pavement from the bike parking area). There's a large shaded picnic pavilion, plenty of parking, and a bathroom.

The hikes down into the valley start here. Descend on any of the trails, then just wander around. The goblins change with every new angle. It's been one of my favorite places since childhood.

You can go where you want, except for climbing on the hoodoos themselves. Imagine a 1000-pound rock on your splattered chest, with the State Parks Department asking your next of kin to pay the substantial fine. Don't climb on the goblins.

Getting there:
On Interstate 70 just west of Green River, drive 8 miles west from the US-6 junction. Turn south on Highway 24 and go 24 miles. Turn right on Temple Mountain Road. Drive 5 miles west, then turn left on Goblin Valley Road and drive 7 miles to Goblin Valley State Park. Pay at the entry station (2018 fee $15 per car).
At the T in the paved road, go straight across to the narrow dirt road. Climb the hill and drive 0.2 miles then turn right into the parking area. Start the ride by pedaling back to the road and continuing west. At the fork in the road, go either direction. The singletrack entry is found at the far west end of the loop in the road.

Bathrooms:  Campground, Goblin overlook, visitor's center
Water:  Campground, visitor's center
Camping:  Goblin Valley Campground (additional fee)