ATTENTION: The Boone County Parks Department is implementing a reservation system for the Boone Cliffs State Nature Preserve beginning May 11, 2021. Reservations will be taken for Tuesday & Thursday weekly and the 2nd & 4th Saturdays of each month. Reservations are broken down into two time blocks. Block 1: 9 AM - 1 PM, Block 2: 2 PM - 6 PM. Each reservation is good for one vehicle. Reservations must be made 24 hours in advance. Make your reservation online.
The preserve, owned by the Boone County Fiscal Court, was originally acquired by The Nature Conservancy. It was dedicated as a state nature preserve to protect the unique glacial features and four forest community types that are present there. Initially, 46 acres of land in Boone County were dedicated on Nov. 5, 1987. An additional 29 acres were dedicated on May 16, 1990.
The preserve is named for the 20- to 40-foot conglomerate cliffs that outcrop on the valley slopes. Numerous igneous and metamorphic rocks from Canada and the northeastern United States were transported by glaciers and deposited by meltwater streams in northern Kentucky in Trimble, Carroll, Gallatin, Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Pendleton, and Bracken Counties. These glacial erratics are composed of igneous rocks such as granites and basalts, metamorphic rocks such as schist, phyllites, and gneisses, and sedimentary rocks such as limestone and sandstone. There is a wide assortment of igneous and metamorphic rocks in these deposits that are not normally found in Kentucky. It is remotely possible that some gold and diamonds may also be associated with these glacial erratics.
Located in the preserve is a 2.4 mile trail over uneven terrain, moderate in difficulty with some steep places. Benches are placed around the trail. You do not need to hike the whole trail for the cache. The round trip to the cache from the parking area is only about 1/2 mile. During the winter when the leaves are off the trees is the best time to view the surrounding cliffs. Please stay on they main trail. This is a nature preserve and has strict rules to protect the surrounding environment. By observing these rules you will be helping to protect Kentucky's natural heritage:
- Preserves are open sunrise to sunset.
- Trails are open to foot traffic only. The established trail system provides you with the safest and best way to travel through the preserve. Visitors must not re-route or shortcut the existing trail system.
- Horses, bicycles, climbing and rappelling are not permitted in nature preserves because of their destructive impacts to the trails and natural features.
- Motorized vehicles are not permitted.
- Possession of drugs or alcohol is prohibited.
- Possession of firearms is illegal on dedicated State Nature Preserves.
- Collecting plants, animals, rocks, artifacts or wood reduces those things that are needed to maintain natures delicate balance. Therefore, collecting, hunting and trapping are prohibited on dedicated Nature Preserves.
- To ensure the natural beauty of each preserve and to promote visitor safety and enjoyment, camping, picnicking, building fires and audio equipment not permitted.
- Remember to carry out your trash.
To get credit for this earthcache, please take a picture of yourself at the overlook and answer the following questions. Please email me the answer and do not put the answers in your log. Only put your picture in your log. I will delete any logs with answers in them. Thanks!
- What is the elevation at the tip of the overlook?
- Is this the highest point in the immediate area?If not what is?
- What tributary of the Ohio river helped form these cliffs?
- Using the related webpage site please tell us how many years ago the Cliffs were formed?
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This cache was placed by a member of the O.K.I.C.
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