A few weeks ago, I shared my family’s Summer Bucket List with you. My husband and I visited his family in South Georgia over the weekend and took a side trip on the way home to mark off one of our bucket list items…a trip to Providence Canyon State Park.
Lovingly known to Georgia natives as “The Little Grand Canyon”, Providence Canyon is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
The canyons formed from erosion due to poor farming practices in the 1800s, but Providence Canyon is now considered one of Georgia’s Seven Natural Wonders.
Located very close to the Alabama border in the southwestern part of the state, Providence Canyon state park covers over 1,000 acres.
There are two trails to choose from – a 3-mile hike around and in the canyon floors, and a 7-mile back country hike, which takes you to campsites but require a special permit.
Mark and I opted for the 3-mile hike, but once we reached the canyon floor, we opted to spend our time discovering the canyons themselves, rather than traveling around them. The canyon floor is red clay mud, so if you go, be prepared to get a little dirty.
The variations in the sediments created a beautiful piece of artwork. The higher peaks of the canyons were bright red, orange and purple, while the lower parts of the canyons were almost solid white, like Gulf Coast beach sand. It was a striking contrast.
To give you an idea of the size, this is me standing in front of a smaller part of the canyon – I’m 5’8″.
My husband, who is 6’2″, gives you a better idea of just how deep these canyons really are!
This was a beautiful way to spend our Saturday, and we will definitely be back!
What to know if you go:
- Wear boots or shoes with good tread that you don’t mind getting dirty. There is mud along the canyon floors and you WILL step in it. It’s unavoidable.
- Take water for everyone. You will walk a lot and will get thirsty.
- The bugs didn’t bother us, but depending on the time of year, the mosquitoes could be bad because of the standing water in the canyon.
- Wear sunscreen – once you are out of the canyon floors in the open areas, the sun is shining hard and heavy on you.
- Plan to spend at least an hour and a half or longer to really enjoy all the beauty of Providence Canyon.
We’re making progress on our Summer Bucket List! How about you?
3 Responses
Wow! Such a beautiful place!
WOW…what a breath taking place to spend some summer time! I’m super jealous!
Providence Canyon is definitely an unique and lesser known Georgia park that’s definitely worth a visit. Thanks for sharing!