Goblin Colony Hike

Dogs Off-leash

Features Geological Significance · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers

This is a pleasant loop in Ponderosa Pine forest. Half of the loop follows a forest road that sees occasional vehicles. The other half winds through the Goblin Colony and down through a quiet canyon.

Access by Forest Road 10. There is a beautiful Forest Service campground (Paliza) near the start/end point.

The Goblin Colony is a collection of hundreds of volcanic rock columns on a steep slope above Paliza Canyon at about 7,000 feet (2135 m) altitude. They are interspersed with Ponderosa Pine and some ancient alligator juniper trees.

Goblins are hoodoos, or tent rocks, that many people imagine display interesting human and animal-like profiles "if you look at them just the right way." The caps are gone from these hoodoos – I've also heard this kind of formation called a "fairy chimney."