Providence Canyon State Park

When the park ranger at the visitor center told me that the canyon looks a lot like Bryce Canyon in Utah, I was a bit skeptical. Those are some pretty high expectations for what is dubbed “Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon”, in the far southwestern part of the state. So, were we set up to be disappointed, or was it another amazing state park experience?

Since Providence Canyon State Park doesn’t’ have any RV camping we stayed at nearby Florence Marina State Park, a great place to call home for a couple of weeks. Although we were in a very isolated area without much close, it put us only 8 miles from Providence Canyon and about 25-35 minutes to Eufaula Georgia to the south and Columbus Georgia to the north. We were excited to explore the state park along with checking out what the surrounding areas had to offer.

Using the words “little” and “grand” in the same description may seem a bit contradictory. However in this case, size doesn’t matter and even though the canyon is only 150 feet deep, it is quite grand in its visual appeal. It all started with poor farming practices during the 1800s which created these massive gullies through accelerated erosion of the sandy soil after removing trees for cotton farming. What was created, with help of man’s influence, is a series of striking canyons with pink, orange, red and purple hues and a continued evolution of the geological formations.

Based on some trial and error, we determined the best way to explore the park, whether you have multiple days or need to cram it all in on one day. There are three trails in the park. First is the Canyon Loop Trail which goes along the rim for some of the most magnificent views but also circles down into the lower edge of the canyons below. The Canyons Trail takes you into the 9 canyons via spokes off of the lower section of the Canyon Loop Trail. Finally, the Backcountry Trail is a more moderate 7-mile trail that is mostly away from the canyons. Although there are many ways to explore the canyons, we always enjoy seeing places like this from the top first to get the full perspective and then explore below inside the canyon. My recommendations are based on this perspective.

Taking the High Road

Make sure you first stop in at the visitor center at the end of the road to get a map and talk with one of the helpful rangers. The map will be helpful even if you have a trail app. From the visitor center take the Canyon Loop Trail to the left, clockwise. You’ll be wondering why you’re going the opposite direction from others, but we won’t tell them the secret. It’s very important to hug the trail along the fenceline so you don’t miss any of the views. The section of the trail adjacent to the park with the pavilions and playground is where the money shots are. Again, be sure to follow the fenceline, as sometimes it goes into the trees. If you’ve ever been to Bryce Canyon, this will remind you of it in a smaller scale. Really!

At about the half mile mark, the trail will make a turn into the woods. Although there will be some additional canyon views in the first part of this section, they won’t be as magnificent as the previous ones. The highlight of this section of the trail is the old, abandoned automobiles. Prior to the establishment of the state park, there used to be an old homestead here. These automobiles were abandoned and are now part of the natural ecosystem for many birds and mammals who use them for nesting and cover. It’s a unique feature to see along a hiking trail and makes for some cool pictures.

At just under a mile and a half is a decision point; return back the way you came, continue on the Canyon Loop Trail into the canyon, or take the turn on the Backcountry Trail for another half mile. If you do the latter, you will get to see some additional, less visited, canyons. My favorite part of this section was the distant views of the canyons we saw previously. So, as an up and back trail, this will total at a 3 or 4 mile hike depending on whether you do the addition Backcountry Trail. Either way, it’s an easy (and dry) hike.

Wet and Wild

Now that you’ve seen the canyons from above, it’s time to get a little adventurous and actually hike in the canyons. If you are combining this with the previously discussed Canyon Loop Trail route, you will continue along that trail as it gradually descends into the canyon. However, if you are coming back to do this part on another day, you will start at the visitor center and this time turn right, or counterclockwise on the Canyon Loop Trail. If you are doing this as a single day hike, just follow these instructions in reverse.

This is the part of the trail that you will need proper footwear because you will be walking along wet sandy, clay trails. We hadn’t figured all of this out yet and took the dogs with us. Even after baths our lowrider Aussies will have an orange tint to their undersides for quite some time!

From the visitor center you will descend quickly and come to a sandy creek bed to the left at just over a quarter mile. This is the Canyons Trail for canyons 1-5. The trail is wet, but not deep, so with the proper shoes your feet shouldn’t get wet. Just know, that you can’t avoid the water. The signage will lead you one way for canyons 1-3 and a separate spur trail for canyons 4 and 5. Explore these areas freely but avoid going off trail beyond the barriers as it can be very dangerous. This is also where your paper map can come in handy, because the canyons continue to erode and therefore the landscape changes. Don’t miss canyons 4 and 5 because they are arguably the best of the nine.

When you’re done in this area, just backtrack to the Canyon Loop Trail where you started and turn left for another quarter mile to the next sandy creek bed to the left. This is the access to canyons 6-9. Similar to the other section, signage and your paper map will lead you to these canyons. What’s unique about the canyons is that the walls are primarily composed of loose sand, rather than rock or stone. It’s amazing how it can even support its own weight. We enjoyed canyons 6 and 7 almost as much as 4 and 5. Please note that since seven ate nine, now canyons 8 and 9 are one. 😏

As you backtrack to the Canyon Loop Trail you can either go back the way you came from for a half mile to the visitor center and the trailhead or continue counterclockwise to do the complete Canyon Loop Trail for an additional mile and a half. But keep in mind, if you previously did this as your day one hike from the other direction, you will be repeating most of the trail… but you’ll also be able to see those amazing overlooks again and this time see where you just were.

Easy Pass

For those who don’t hike, there’s actually one additional way to experience the canyon. Simply park in one of the roadside spots along the aforementioned park and walk across the field to the fence and some of the viewing areas. Although you won’t get the full experience, you will still get to see the best views of the canyon with only a short stroll. We came back and did this for some mid-morning and sunset photography. Either way you do Providence Canyon, you will be in for a unique and unexpected treat. Bryce Canyon alternative? No, but that wasn’t really the expectation anyway.

If you’re in the area for an extended period of time as we were, there’s plenty more to explore within 30 minutes or so from Florence Marina State Park, where we stayed.

Places Nearby the Campground

Although there’s not much in the immediate vicinity to the campground, we did find a couple of close places to visit. The first, although a bit underwhelming, was Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge. It’s mostly a birding place but we did enjoy the drive through the forest on the gravel roads.

The second place is Omaha Brewing Company, a pleasant surprise in this remote area. They craft some very unique local brews and their fun, dog friendly pub is enjoyable to hang out in. On the weekends they have live entertainment and food trucks out back. I particularly enjoyed their 7.62 brown ale.

In the town of Richland Georgia, 35 minutes to the east, is Richland Rum, an amazing boutique distillery doing things the old fashioned way. They harvest their own sugar cane for their rums which gets distilled with no added sugar or additives. Then they bottle the rum in house by hand with a three person crew and distribute it around the world. Pretty impressive operation and some tasty rums!

Exploring Eufaula

There’s lots of Civil War history in this part of Georgia, as the Chattahoochee River was a strategic waterway during these times. Lots of wealthy people settled in Eufaula prior to the Civil War and since the town was spared destruction during the war, many of the original homes still exist today. You can drive around and look at some of the architecture but be sure to visit Shorter Mansion. This restored 1884 home is on the National Register of Historic Places and can be toured for a small fee. They also use the home for special events such as weddings.

The main street district offers some interesting places to shop such as Eufaula Hardware, actually an antique store. Across the street is Superior Pecans and Gifts which is a great spot to satisfy our coffee cravings. And finally, El Jalisco Mexican Grill was a pleasant surprise for our Mexican food fix.

Exploring Columbus

Columbus also has a lot of Civil War history and was the site of one of the last Civil War battles. Unlike Eufaula, it didn’t fair very well in the war, and much was destroyed. However, that history is kept alive through many of the museums in town such as the National Civil War Naval Museum. This museum is a walking history book of the Civil War and features the largest assortment of Civil War naval flags and many other artifacts. The most significant displays are the reassembled remnants of the CSS Jackson, the largest surviving Confederate warship, and the CSS Chattahoochee. Both ships lay hidden in the Chattahoochee River for nearly a century before recovery efforts began in 1960.

The Coca-Cola Space Science Center, located in Columbus State University is a fun, interactive and educational museum. There are all sorts of exhibits featuring the Apollo and space shuttle eras. I flew on a shuttle mission and learned a ton about dark matter (just don’t test me on it).

For something a little different, check out the Museum of Wonder on the way to or from Columbus. This drive-thru museum, made out of shipping containers, has many unusual artifacts such as the world’s largest gallstone and an “actual” footprint from Sasquatch. It’s located right off the highway and is a quick stop so… why not!

There are many restaurants and shops along the Broadway strip in Columbus to satisfy your shopping and hunger. We enjoyed dinners at The Loft (pork chop and grits) and The Black Cow (fried bacon?). Fountain City Coffee is a great little stop for a cup of Joe or a light meal.

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We were hopeful that Providence Canyon was going to be something special and it did not disappoint. What we didn’t expect was the vast number of other activities in the general proximity of this remote region of southwest Georgia. We planned on lots of downtime during our two weeks stop but kept quite busy. And Florence Marina State Park was a great place to stay with all of its open spaces for the dogs to play. It’s just another example of the many hidden gems around virtually every corner of this country.

Check out our pictures of Providence Canyon and the surrounding areas.