After living in Georgia for nearly forty years and traveling and experiencing the numerous natural resources in this fine state, it felt like I had seen and done just about everything. Except for one —- visiting Providence Canyon State Conservation Park.

Located in southwest Georgia —- south of Columbus and west of Lumpkin in Stewart County —- Providence Canyon is nicknamed "Georgia's Little Grand Canyon" and has similar characteristics, but on a much smaller scale.

At the park's information center, a ranger said Providence was a "must see."

The park was established in 1971 to preserve the unique natural beauty of this part of the state. It is actually a tribute to poor farming practices and was created by erosion. Some of the early settlers did not use terracing and other soil-saving methods, and the soft soils began washing away with each rain. By 1850, those ditches were 3 feet deep, and the erosion continued until some of them are as deep as 150 feet.

Left behind are the colorful soils of the Clayton Formation and the sandy soils known as Providence Sands. Beneath those are the lower dark gray layer known as the Perote Member and the Ripley Formation, for those geologists out there.

For the average tourist, this translates to 43 shades of soil including white, purple, pink, red, scarlet, salmon, and light orange and similar hues and variations. It is a small spectacle akin to the hoodoos of Utah's Bryce Canyon.

The 1,108-acre park has 16 canyons with most situated near the main entrance road. The colorful soils are displayed throughout the canyons, spires, plateaus, gullies, and towers, and the sun's rays and shadows add texture and depth to the views. Additionally, the rare Plumleaf Azalea blooms in the canyon from July to September along with other wildflowers and indigenous plants.

To see these sights, there are hiking trails such as the 3-mile Canyon Loop trail, which circles the canyon rim. Nine other short trails venture up into the canyons for an up-close look at the colorful soils from below. Seven miles of backpacking trails course through the park to the six primitive camp sites. The park also offers two pioneer camping areas, two picnic shelters, 65 picnic tables, and a playground.

The visitors center is open Wednesday through Sunday and has an audio-visual presentation, exhibits and a gift shop. Providence Canyon is also a stop for the "Canyon Climbers Club." Hikers who descend into Providence and three other state parks can get their ticket punched to qualify for a T-shirt.

A little bit of Arizona and Utah can be seen in southwest Georgia. Providence Canyon is considered a "must see" by some and is certainly a unique sight in a relatively unknown area of the state. For surprising canyon views of striking soil colors, Georgia's Little Grand Canyon is worth a trip. Especially if it's one of the few natural sights you have not seen yet in Georgia. [www.georgia stateparks.org]