Goblins II ~ Gold Butte National Monument

The wind carved goblin red rock formations in Gold Butte National Monument certainly are bizarre looking and being there in person is guaranteed to present the opportunity for a complete escape from the world you once knew. This destination beckons to be experienced at least once in a lifetime and plenty of information has been previously published in this website concerning how to get to Little Finland via the Mud Wash. A 4x4 high ground clearance vehicle will be needed for this trip and Gold Butte is a very remote area, so emergency supplies should be packed for the venture. There are two access points where a visitor can get onto the solid bedrock platform where the goblins stand and today's article features the easier of the two.

The west access point can be seen at the end of the elevated goblins platform and a 4x4 can park next to the barbed wire cattle guard gate. After passing through, the feeling compares to entering a mysterious amusement park, but in this case Mother Nature did all the design work. The soft orange color sandstone has been naturally sandblasted by high winds over eons of time and the result is the ultra weird looking goblins that still stand in modern times.

​On the downside, irresponsible people have damaged some of the Goblins on the west end of Little Finland and ATVs have scarred the pristine landscape. Reporting vandalism to the BLM rangers or the National Park Service is the responsible thing for visitors to do, so this unique geological area can be enjoyed by future generations. 

Little Finland is a great place to become completely absorbed with the surroundings, to the point of not worrying about getting lost, which is actually part of the fun. There are so many strange sights to see in this amazing labyrinth, that the element of time simply disappears. Hours upon hours can spent looking at the strange rock creatures, so be sure to pack some water for the hike. Bring a good camera too, because the photos will certainly amaze friends and family back home!
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