Goblin Valley State Park

Goblin Valley State Park is famous for its series of mushroom-shaped rock formations, also known as hoodoos. While there are a few established trails within the park, the namesake attraction offers three square miles of open landscape, which visitors are free to explore on their own. Beyond the Valley of Goblins, there are seven miles of easy-to-moderate mountain-biking paths, which make five separate loops in various corners of the park. Since it's so far from any population centers, the area also offers incredible stargazing.

You’ll feel like a kid again at this fantasy of a state park off Highway 24 near Green River, Utah. Eons of wind and ice have carved sandstone rocks into every object imaginable: from chess pawns and mushrooms to noses and cocoa-dusted marshmallows. The best part is that you’re free to roam the park and make these creatures into your own personal play structures (meet my giant turtle friend, for example).