LIMITED WARNINGS
Under Kentucky law, if a land owner allows individuals to use their property for recreation without a fee “…an owner of land owes no duty of care to keep the premises safe for entry or use by others for recreational purposes, or to give any warning of a dangerous condition, use, structure, or activity on the premises to persons entering for such purposes.”
These warnings are provided to help you make your decision as to whether or not you choose to enter the Preserve. This is not intended to inform you of any or all the potential dangers, nor to protect you once you enter the Preserve as there is no way to inform you of all the potential dangers which may exist.
We recommend that you carefully read and understand the list of warnings of the hazards and potential dangers, both identified and unknown, that may exist in the Alice Rocks Nature Preserve for your own benefit.
Your presence in the preserve signifies that you fully accept all known and unknown hazards and that you accept all risks of injury and death. Your presence in the preserve signifies that you agree that you have not paid a fee nor have been charged any value to enter the preserve. If you are not willing or able to accept full responsibility for your presence and personal safety in the Alice Rocks Nature Preserve, then you must not enter the property.
WARNING: The preserve is a natural habitat with many known and unknown hazards. It impossible to be aware of every hazard and dangerous condition that may exist. It is, therefore, necessary that you acknowledge a general warning that hidden and unknown dangers may exist in the Preserve that cannot always be specifically identified and warned nor guarded against.
WARNING: All outdoor activities and in particular rock climbing, rappelling or scrambling can be dangerous and can cause permanent paralysis or other serious injury and death to you - or to those around you. You should never climb without extensive training by experienced climbers. You should never climb without proper high-quality rock climbing gear. You should never climb if you are not willing to accept full responsibility for the consequences of your participation in this dangerous sport. Furthermore, by entering the Preserve and engaging in rock climbing of any sort including rock scrambling - or any rope suspension activities whatsoever - you are acknowledging that accept full responsibility for the consequences of your participation in this dangerous sport.
WARNING: The rock in the Nature Preserve is primarily sandstone, a very soft, friable sedimentary rock that is laced with pockets, fissures and soft sections. Even the best of hardware permanently affixed to or temporarily placed into this rock can fail unexpectedly and catastrophically due to the poor structural integrity of this rock, possibly causing your injury or death.
WARNING: The rock in the Preserve contains sections that are either loose or that can be easily loosened. These sections rock can spontaneously fall off a cliff, or they may be inadvertently or purposely pulled off by another person or natural processes. In any case, rock fall poses a threat to visitors to Alice Rocks Nature Preserve and therefore poses a danger to the hiker, climber and/or all persons below the hiker/climber. All persons participating in rock climbing and/or those present in the vicinity of rock cliffs are strongly advised to avoid rockfall zones below cliffs and to wear protective headgear designed specifically for a rock climbing environment.
WARNING: Metal steps, fixed ropes and rock climbing hanger brackets have been bolted to, or glued into, the walls of some of the climbing routes and rock faces in the Preserve. Additionally, other hardware, such as slings, quickdraws, chains, rings, cable leaders, fixed ropes and permadraws may be attached to hanger brackets. This hardware was installed by many different persons with no specific standards. The specific hardware and installation methods are neither approved by nor monitored by us. This hardware is not routinely inspected. No warranties of safeness of this hardware nor other installed devices have been given by the persons who installed it nor by Alice Rocks Nature Preserve. Hanger brackets and other hardware or ropes have been known to break or pull loose from the rock. And, rock in which hanger brackets have been affixed has been known to fail. If you climb or hike in the preserve and rely on any piece of hardware or other appliances affixed to any rock surface or tree for your personal safety and/or the safety of others with you, you do so at your own risk and with the full knowledge that this hardware may fail catastrophically and without warning causing injury and death.
WARNING: The Preserve is filled with trees and is not a managed forest. Thus, trees in various states of decay exist in abundance. Entire trees may fall at any time causing injury or death. Likewise, branches or parts of trees may fall at anytime both from the trees themselves or from cliffsides or clifftops. These may also cause injury or death. Windy conditions and icy conditions are particularly hazardous for tree fall.
WARNING: There are numerous fall hazards within the preserve, footing is rough and uneven and in some areas you can fall Well over 100 feet and be severely injured or killed. Be very careful hiking along all trails and maintain control of children at all times.
WARNING: Outdoor natural areas can be especially risky for children and extra care should be taken. If you bring children or other individuals that are at risk of not being able to assess risk and protect themselves, you are fully responsible for their safety.
WARNING: As a nature preserve, Alice Rocks Nature Preserve has known wildlife, including, but not limited to: stinging insects - such as wasps and hornets; Insects and animals that can carry disease - such as ticks and various mammals; venomous snakes - such as copperheads and rattlesnakes; and poisonous and stinging plants - such as poison ivy and nettle weed.
WARNING: As a former farm and hunting property, Alice Rocks Nature Preserve has remnants of such activity on the property that could be dangerous. These include and are not limited to barbed wire, metal poles and stakes, barn structures, other structures, deer stands. These things may be hard to see or identify. Structures should be avoided.
WARNING: The Preserve is contiguous with other private and publicly accessed lands where individuals may hunt with firearms or other dangerous weapons. Accidents may occur where individuals may be hunting purposely or accidentally on the property, or discharging firearms for any reason in the vicinity, at any time and especially during hunting season. The landowner cannot prevent others from entering the property without permission. The landowner cannot prevent projectiles from crossing on to the property. Any visitor that accesses the Preserve is responsible for knowing when the Kentucky state and Menifee County hunting seasons occur and for keeping themselves safe. Wearing visible clothing is recommended.
WARNING: There are no physical man-made boundaries which demarcate the limits of the Preserve property. Visitors may pass off of the property onto adjacent private land and be trespassing.