Beneath rugged cliffs spring wildflowers bloom in a quiet woodland air. Songbirds, hawks, and vultures stir in all seasons while deer and wild turkey inhabit the uplands with the occasional fox and weasel. Naturalist programs explore the park in year round field trips.
If you're in Clifty be sure and stop at their Nature Center. It doesn't look like much on the outside, but the Center is very well done and has a lot of exhibits and native creatures on display.
As you can imagine an environment like this encourages even the poorest of hikers (like me) to venture forth into nature and explore all the nooks and crannies. Bob, on the other hand, opted for exploring the inside of a walk-thru cave. The park furnishes brochures showing all the hiking trails available. What we "sometimes" nature adventurers forget is that while nature is truly beautiful and relaxing, we must always be on our guard to respect the danger that underlies this beauty. We tramp off onto the trails, without proper footgear or over-extend ourselves, or in the case of one little local girl, wander off the trail to see nature more closely. Unfortunately, nature is not always gentle, and beautiful, and forgiving.
We found out, that about a month before we went to Clifty Falls a fifteen year old local girl wandered off the trail she was on, went too close to an embankment and slid down a moss bed to her death. What a tragic thing to happen. But, it should warn all of us to respect nature and take a few extra precautions when dealing with the outdoors. Not only can something like this happen, but there is the occasional encounter with wild animals. If you're out enjoying the beauties of nature, just familiarize yourself with any local hazards and take a few extra precautions to safeguard yourself. Do we need to fear nature? No, just respect her the same way you would any wild thing you might encounter.  For those of you who feel a need to keep in touch with your urban side, the park also has the Clifty Inn, overlooking the Ohio valley and the historic river town of Madison. It also features a very nice restaurant which offers buffet meals. And Madison itself offers the visitor a rich step back in time along the Ohio's beautiful banks.

Good Luck! Have Fun! and Stay Safe!

Laura