Providence Canyon State Park

Providence Canyon State Park
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
Providence Canyon, from the rim
Location	Stewart County, Georgia, USA
Nearest city	Lumpkin, Georgia
Coordinates	32°3′57″N 84°55′15″W
Area	1,003 acres (4.06 km2; 1.57 sq mi)
Governing body	Georgia State Park

Providence Canyon State Park is a 1,003 acres (4.06 km²; 1.57 sq mi) state park located in Stewart County in west central Georgia. The park contains Providence Canyon, which is sometimes called Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon". It is considered to be one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia. Providence Canyon actually is not a purely natural feature — the massive gullies (the deepest being 150 feet) were caused by erosion due to poor farming in the 19th century. It is also home to the very rare plumleaf azalea.

The park lies on marine sediments—usually loamy or clayey, with small areas of sand. Loamy sand topsoils overlie subsoils of sandy clay loam, sandy clay, or clay in most of the uneroded section. Nankin, Cowarts, Mobila, and Orangeburg are the most prominent soil series. The canyons have much exposure of clay, over which water often seeps. Water is mobile in this well drained area.

Providence Canyon seen from the canyon floor, March 2009.

One of the quirkier attractions of the state park is an abandoned homestead including nearly a dozen rusty, 1950s-era cars and trucks. Due to the environmental damage that removing the vehicles would cause, park officials have decided to leave them alone.

Junked car in Providence Canyon State Park, March 2009.

Facilities

• 1,003 acres
• 2 picnic shelters
• 6 backcountry campsites
• group shelter
• 2 pioneer campsites

Yearly events

• Christmas Workshop (December)
• Astronomy Night (September)
• Fall Wildflower Day (October)
• Geology Day (October)

External links

• A Tree Grows Through an Abandoned Truck at Providence Canyon State Park
• Web Soil Survey (Stewart County, Georgia)