One of the more unusual attractions of the state park is an abandoned homestead including nearly a dozen rusty, 1950s-era cars and trucks.

Due to the environmental damage that removing the vehicles would cause, park officials have decided to leave them alone.

Providence Canyon is not actually a purely natural feature: many of the massive gullies — the deepest of which is more than 150 feet (46 m) — are the result of erosion due to poor farming practices by settlers in the 19th century.

Evidence of the existence of the canyons at this time includes their mention in a deed by James S. Lunsford to William Tatam from 1836.

[citation needed] The park lies on marine sediments, usually loam or clay, with small areas of sand.