Providence Canyon State Park

The canyon tells a tale of greed and carelessness. In the early 1800s three cotton plantations were located in the vicinity of the park. The  loose, sandy soil, over 100 feet deep, was deposited by millions of years of constantly changing rivers, streams, and seas. It was easy to plow up and down the rolling hills rather than along the contours which allowed rainwater to run down the plow lines. By the 1850s the low ground had became ditches three to five feet deep which eroded more with every rainfall. Farming became impossible. Deep canyons had formed by the 1890s. To stop some of the erosion the Civilian Conservation Corp planted trees in the 1930s. The county purchased a portion of land to make a park which became a popular picnicking spot, then, when Jimmy Carter was governor, the canyon was bought by the state to form the park. 

Even with that sad environmental history, it's impossible not to marvel at the beauty of the canyons. It looks like a mini version of the red rock canyons of Utah. A 2.5 mile loop trail circles the canyons with spur trails going down into each of the nine canyons. There also a seven mile backcountry trail with camping spots for backpackers. A small gift shop/visitor center has a few exhibits. 

The visitor center is accessible but very little of the park is. A path at the picnic area is surfaced with large gravel and leads to an overlook. The gravel makes a rough trail but the overlook is one of the best. We attempted to follow the trail along the fairly level edge of the canyon but ran into very rough ground and roots. The canyon is worth the trip if you're in the area but most wheelchair users will need assistance to see the canyon views. Park  

The visitor center parking lot has long RV spaces. Parking at the picnic area is along the road. Park  32.06719, -84.90388