Did you know Georgia had her own version of the Grand Canyon? This is an image of Providence Canyon State Park. The deepest part of the 16 different canyons dip 150 feet, and the beauty you see is a direct result of poor farming practices in the 1800s.Providence Canyon State Park is located in Lumpkin, Georgia near the Alabama-Georgia state line and Walter F. George Resevoir. It falls within the confines of Stewart County.
Aren’t the colors amazing? The state park site states that the result of the erosion is several million years of geologic record has been exposed. Minerals have stained the sediments and that’s why we see colors that range from white to various shades of pink, purple, red, brown, yellow, and black.
Providence Canyon is one of the places you can view the very rare plumleaf azalea (it’s found only in southwestern Georgia and eastern Alabama). It blooms from mid to late summer.
Once colonists moved into this area of Georgia they cleared the land and took no measures to avoid soil erosion. By 1850 ditches three to five feet deep had been cut in the land per New Georgia Encyclopedia.
The issue of erosion seems like a bad thing so you might wonder why locals came up with the name Providence. Apparently the name stems from a church named Providence Methodist Church that had been established in 1832. The church and a schoolhouse stood on land that now lies between the main gorges. In 1859 a new church was built across the road from the canyon and is used occasionally today per the New Georgia article.
This is my third Wordless Wednesday foray here at Georgia on My Mind. You can visit with other Wordless participants here.
12 comments:
BREATHTAKING! Thank you for sharing.
Have a great Wednesday!
You too, Cathy!
I too have been to Providence Canyon (it is very close to the bf's hunting camp, so we went last year). Sadly, because of the drought, most of the flora and fauna that is native to the region has dwindled or died. The stream that runs through the bottom of the canyon was so dry we walked up the stream bed, following the tracks of a bear and more than a few birds (all evidently in search of water). Still, it's a beautiful (if steep) hike, if you are up to it. Cloudland Caynon is also quite nice.
I've been there once and loved it. I'd love to go back again one day.
Wow. I could have had a V8 at Providence Canyon. Thank you for sharing.
That's so sad about the drought getting the plants at the canyon....hope they come back.
Mmmmm....Paw Paw Bill, a V8 sounds good right about now. :)
Save Our State Parks!
http://www.friendsofgastateparks.org/friends/?q=ActionCenter/YouCanHelp/Petition
Eht,
I hiked Providence Canyon back in the 70's (I was 16) with a friend whose husband was in the military and was stationed at Ft. Benning. I remember that the way we went down into the canyon - there were no steps - was by swinging down from a large root. lol
We hiked all day and didn't start back to Columbus until almost dark. It was sooo beautiful down in there. I wish I had thought to take a camera...
One day soon, I would like to make it back and hike the canyon again. Thanks for the memory!
and the reminder!
wow, how pretty.
Any waterfalls in there? Email me... dewdrop_in_sga@yahoo.com
No water, dewdrop, so no waterfalls.
Ok, Georgia residents: I need a painter who would be willing to do a painting of my boyfriend's former dogs whom he loved dearly...I was thinking of this for Christmas but don't know anyone. Can y'all help?
A a relative newcomer who has not ventured OTP nearly enough, I will put this remarkable place on my "must see in GA" list. Thanks.
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