The ground is an off-white color that stretches across Tooele County for 40 square miles. There’s not much to the Salt Flats, and that’s what makes the area so unique to look at. According to the park’s website, the “goblins” are created by the uneven nature of sandstone as it erodes due to wind and water.ĥ Utah places you probably have never heard of Bonneville Salt Flats Courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism Those aren’t mushrooms you’re seeing on the ground, they are unique sandstone rock formations known as “goblins.” Interestingly, when the area was first discovered, it was known as “Mushroom Valley” until the area was purchased by the state and designated as a state park in 1964. Goblin Valley State Park Courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism This site near Hanksville seems out of this world. The teams wear a spacesuit (yes, really) and pay their own way to gain valuable experience dealing with the harsh conditions of an alien planet. Owned and operated by the Mars Society, a non-profit group that promotes the exploration of the Martian planet, crews and scientists actually carry out simulations of what a mission on Mars would look and feel like. The area is dubbed as the largest and longest-running Mars surface simulation facility in the world. Here’s a few of the best other-worldly alien landscapes located in Utah: Mars Desert Research Station Courtesy of the Mars SocietyĪny list that describes the best alien landscapes in Utah has to start with the Mars Desert Research Station.

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