Hiking Providence Canyon State Park Trails

Known as one of the "Seven Wonders of Georgia" and Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon," hiking the Providence Canyon trails proved to be an exhilarating afternoon experience for my boys, mom, and myself—in spite of the cold, light rainfall.

Back in January, we decided to set out to visit Providence Canyon State Park because we wanted to do something outdoors and fun. Well, actually, the truth is that I often develop cabin fever when I've sat inside for too long. It's almost like an itch that needs to be scratched. I tend to prefer hiking because it's good for my kids, plus it wears out some of their energy. Not only that but I enjoy hiking the outdoors. 

Plus, my mom mentioned she wanted to visit all the "Seven Wonders of Georgia." I've never been to any of them so it was a great idea to me. To be honest, I never even knew these "wonders" existed until she mentioned them so it naturally piqued my interest.

History of Providence Canyon State Park

It was identified as one of the "Seven Wonders of Georgia" by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and is protected by Providence Canyon State Park, which contains 1,003 acres. It's one of 60 parks in the state of Georgia. The formation of the canyons is attributed to years of poor farming methods in the 1800s. Instead of being formed by rivers, these gullies were formed from rainwater runoff from nearby farming fields. 

Its striking similarities to the canyons in the western region of the U.S. earned it the nickname, "Little Grand Canyon." The 16 canyons, some as deep as 150 feet, consist of up to 43 colorful soils that are popular among hikers, photographers, and visitors from all over. The soils that make up the unique landscape are expected to continue to erode as time goes by. 

You have the option of hiking down to the creek bed and following one of two hiking trails. Hike the Backcountry Trail, which is about seven miles long and clearly marked in red. This hike is estimated to take about six hours to complete. It's rated for being a more difficult and rugged hike than the shorter trail, the Canyon Loop.

Because of time constraints and since I wasn't certain if my seven-year-old could handle the hike, we chose the Canyon Loop Trail, which was about two and a half miles in length. This trail was marked in white. It took about two hours to complete, I believe. The creek beds and some of the trails were wet and muddy. It rained lightly off and on while we were out on the trail.

Along the way, we found a lot of rusted cars that have been sitting out there since the homestead. Animals use them for shelter and/or dwelling. Local officials determined it would be too detrimental to remove the old vehicles and have left them where they sit.

There were several picture-perfect spots but unfortunately on the day we went, as I mentioned, it was lightly raining. I don't have anything to protect the lens of my camera from the rain so I left it in the car. I took some pictures with my phone but they pale in comparison to the scenery I saw with my own eyes. 

Providence Methodist Church & Graveyard

To replace an older church building, a new one was built on the grounds in 1859 that is apparently only used occasionally for special services. We also explored the graveyard sitting next to it. The graves dated pretty far back and even included soldiers laid to rest there, which I thought was really neat. 

Personally, I enjoyed looking around the graveyard because it seemed extremely peaceful but my boys thought it was creepy that we were walking around (respectfully) and examining the graves. It's not everyone's cup of tea, apparently. 😏

Safety & Pertinent Info

It's extremely important that when you hike these trails, you stay away from the edge. Don't go around the overlooks or over the fences. The soil is highly susceptible to collapse due to erosion. This means: Don't do something stupid like a handstand on the edge of these cliffs because you could very well plummet to your death. The fences are there to protect you. Follow the rules.

You might want to wear clothes and shoes that you don't mind getting a little muddy or wet. Hiking clothes are encouraged for the simple fact that nobody cares if they get dirty or ruined. FYI: The orange-colored clay absolutely can stain your clothes. 

Also, some of the hills are quite steep. Wear shoes that have an adequate grip on the soles. If you have any type of health issues that might be aggravated from these slightly moderate to above moderate hiking conditions, then I would consider speaking with your doctor before heading out on these trails.

You'll find the park located about 150 miles SW of Atlanta. If you're coming from the Opelika/Auburn area, then you'll want to come in from Hwy 280 and head south on Hwy 27. If you're somewhat familiar with the area, then you'll know it's not too far from Columbus, GA:

Providence Canyon State Park 
8930 Canyon Road
Lumpkin, GA 31815

It's open daily. Hours are as follows:
Sept 15 to April 14 - 7am to 6pm
April 15 to Sept 14 - 7am to 9pm

Parking
Sorry, parking is not free. The ParkPass is valid at all Georgia state parks. The ParkPass is not valid at any state historic sites. 

The ParkPass fees are as follows:
1-12 passenger vehicles - $5/day or $50 for an annual pass
13-30 passenger vehicles - $30/day or $75 for an annual pass
31+ passenger vehicles - $70/day or $250 for an annual pass
Georgia active duty military/veterans - $3.75/day or $37.50 for an annual pass



You can reach them for more information by calling (229) 838-6870 or you can visit their website. For reservations, call (800) 864-7275.

They have a museum, bathroom facilities, overnight camping and some programs for the public to enjoy. They also have an area for picnics and a children's playground when you're ready for a break from hiking or looking around. 

It's an absolutely wonderful place to explore and the exercise is really great for you too! We had an amazing time hiking and looking around at the beautiful colors of the canyon walls. If hiking and nature mixed in with a bit of history is your thing then you should put hiking Providence Canyon State Park trails on your bucket list.