This state park was other-worldly. Pictures are in order….
The first person of European heritage to see them called this Mushroom Valley, but the Native Americans had called it Valley of the Goblins in there language, so that’s what the place eventually came to be called. Apparently this area was once a sand dune covered shore of a vast inland sea. The sand dunes were compressed into soft sandstone. As wind and water, very little water note the almost complete lack of vegetation, eroded the soft sandstone, hardened areas within the dunes remained to create these weird structures.
On the drive out of Capitol Reef I noticed a flock of small dark birds, pulled over and got a good look at about 40 Black Rosy-Finches. This is the best life bird of the trip. Look it up, gorgeous little bird. There may have been the other Rosy Finch, Gray-crowned, mixed in but I couldn’t be sure, so won’t count that species.
Roses 1.0 Van Life 
Wow, never heard of that finch, it’s really pretty! I bet if I saw a group of them from a distance I’d assume they were something more common and never take the time to look!
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I knew those finches were in the park from research so I was tuned in, so to speak.
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