Providence Canyon State Park in Lumpkin, GA
Posted by richard | Posted in Camping | Posted on 20-07-2010
Tags: adventure, backpacking, camping, canyon lands, canyons in the east, exploring, florida, fort wilderness, ga, georgia, kay lyn motel, lumpkin, primitive camping, providence canyon state park, road trip, tourism, travel
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So I decided to get away last weekend. I felt like camping. What park should I visit this time?, I wondered. Fort Wilderness in Orlando seemed neat, but I was in the mood for something more adventurous; something more isolated. Hours later, after researching every campsite in Florida, I decided to think outside the box, er, state. Georgia was my best bet. It was far enough to be different and exciting, but close enough to not break the bank.
Being a huge fan of the canyon lands out west, it was an easy decision to choose Providence State Canyon Park as my camping destination. I looked it up on YouTube, read a few blogs, and was totally convinced that I should go. All I had to do now was convince the missus. Luckily, she agreed to it with little hesitation.
We were now ready to embark on a 10 hour journey to Lumpkin, GA. Thank goodness we have a GPS, or it would have been a 15 hour trip! If you are traveling long distance to an unfamiliar location, do not leave home without one.
Our route led us through some really neat, small towns. Being from South Florida, we got a great kick out of the landscapes in Georgia, from the beautiful homes and trees, to the numerous hills that made driving fun, and many old and abandoned, rustic properties.
At one point, we even passed through Plains, GA, home of our 39th president, Jimmy Carter. That town is pretty much dedicated to Jimmy Carter. It has no other claim to fame.
When we finally reached Lumpkin, GA, we headed straight for the park. We passed by an old cemetery near the entrance of the park that caught our attention because it was so neglected. We checked out the graves and were intrigued by the dates on the tombstones. Many of the residents were born in the 1700s. They all died in the 1800s. The two main families that occupied the graves were the Yelvertons and the Perkins.
I can only imagine what their lives must have been like. The British were still at war with the US. Native Americans and Africans were getting royally screwed. The Civil War was fought and their side lost.
As we neared the entrance, we got a great taste of the canyons from one of the viewing sites on the rim.
Parking was $5 / day, free on Wednesdays. If you are planning a visit, keep in mind that they do not take credit cards! Cash is king.
To get to the base of the canyon, we had to hike down a hill and some treacherous terrain. There were lots of vines, holes, and other obstacles in the way that made it very challenging. It did not help that we were wearing 30-40lbs worth of equipment.
The campsite is located 3-4 miles into the park. To get there, we needed to hike through creeks, a forest, and up an incredibly challenging hill that is so notorious, other campers have written about it in their blogs. This trek is NOT cake. If you are planning on camping at this park, be sure to allow yourself at least 1 hour to make it to your campsite, more if you are old and/or out of shape.
The floor is made out of red sand / clay, so we got our shoes really dirty. Along the way, we ran into hundreds of spiderwebs. I hate that!
We finally made it to camp in just under an hour. Campsite #6, which is the first one on the trail, was occupied, so we made a rather lengthy trek to the next campsite (#5), and I am glad it worked out that way because it was much bigger and more isolated. I would totally recommend it.
My one complain about the campsite is that there was a lot of trash leftover from previous campers. Not only was there trash in and around the fire pits, but the surrounding wooded areas were chock full of discarded bottles, bags and personal items. I know the thought of dragging all of that crap back to the visitors center (where the trash bins are located) is disheartening, but it is the responsible thing to do!
On a similar note, the rest of the park was ill-maintained as well. There were water bottles and soda cans dispersed all throughout the trails. It was a sad sight to see.
So we headed towards the canyons after setting up camp. Another 3-4 mile hike!
The canyons, standing at about 150 feet, were quite wonderful, but every time I would find markings on the wall–”Joey was here,” “Marco and Liza 4 Eva”– it took away from my experience.
They call this state park “Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon”. Having experienced canyon lands out west in Utah, I was not very impressed, but it is the closest thing to Utah on the east coast.
Fun Fact: According to Wikipedia, Providence Canyon is not a purely natural feature — the massive gullies were caused by erosion due to poor farming in the 1800s.
Climbing is prohibited in the park, although there is clear evidence that plenty of people have done it, so that kind of sucks. I am the type of person that likes to climb things and get dirty. That not being a legal option, I felt reduced to the role of casual observer.
On the subject of casual observers, there are plenty of them on weekends! I got there at sunrise, and nobody showed up till around 11am. Arriving at the park really early is a great way to enjoy the canyons in solitude.
In total, we walked about 14 miles in two days. We are city folk, so that is a big achievement for us, especially when considering the terrain we had to traverse and the weight of our equipment.
Would we visit Providence Canyon State Park again? No. Do I regret going in the first place? Not really. Would I recommend it to other outdoors enthusiasts? Yes if you just want to visit the canyons, hell no if you are planning on camping there!
I think my next camping trip will be to Fort Wilderness.
- Rich D
