Providence Canyon, Georgia's Little Grand Canyon, is located a few miles south of Columbus. This marvelous surprise lies nestled among the rolling hills in western Georgia, an area where the southern Appalachian Mountains have all but faded away. Listed as one of the state's "seven wonders", Providence Canyon is the centerpiece of an 1100 acre state park. Nearby Lumpkin, the park's main attraction is a colorful 150 foot deep gorge, with more than a dozen side canyons.
   The Providence sand was laid down in the Cretaceous Period, about 70 million years ago. Both, the Grand Canyon and Providence Canyon are erosional in nature, but that's were the comparison ends. While Providence Canyon was the result of poor soil management and substantially complete in a century, in contrast the Colorado River has taken eons to carve the Grand Canyon, a mile deep chasm.
   Providence Canyon State Park features hiking, backpacking, picnicking and camping. The canyon hike is the most popular pastime and takes visitors down into the canyon, along a red stained stream bed. The gorge was brought on by poor farming practices during the 1800s. And in this case, a bad thing has turned into a rare treat for park visitors. Those who descend into the canyon enjoy a rewarding hike where a collection of side-canyons are made of different shades of sandstone. Colored in soft pastels and topped off with a thick layer of Georgia's red clay, canyon exploration is family-fun at its best.

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