BY TERRY FLYNN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
BELLEVIEW -- Whether walking a trail in Boone Cliffs Nature Preserve or hiking in eastern Kentucky's Red River Gorge, being alert and using common sense are the best ways to avoid disaster.
The cliffs of Red River Gorge in Daniel Boone National Forest attract thousands of adventurers who not only hike and enjoy the breathtaking scenery, but also scale and rappel off the high cliffs. And while Boone Cliffs is only 70 acres in western Boone County and attracts people in much smaller numbers, it was the scene of a fall last week that resulted in serious injuries to a 15-year-old boy.
Joshua Price of Burlington was hiking with family members when he apparently moved too close to the edge of a cliff and fell about 50 feet to a ravine below. He broke both arms and an ankle.
The preserve, the only known relic from the Kansan glacial period in Kentucky, is owned and maintained by the Nature Conservancy of Kentucky. Conservancy officials have posted signs to keep hikers on the main trail and away from the dangerous cliff areas, but not always with success, as in Price's case.
The same is true at Red River Gorge, which runs through five eastern Kentucky counties (Menifee, Powell, Wolfe, Lee and Estill) and has more than 700 miles of cliffs.
"Safety is very much a matter of common sense," said U.S. Forestry Service Ranger Donnie Richardson, who patrols the Red River Gorge portion of the federal park. "There are some basic rules to follow that make this area much safer for visitors."
He said the Forestry Service posts large signs at numerous points through the gorge that explain how to use the park safely.
"This is plateau country," Mr. Richardson said. "The ridge tops are flat, and the sides have eroded over the centuries to form steep cliffs that drop off very quickly. You can be on level ground and then suddenly be right at the edge of a cliff."
