Ruby Falls

A breathtaking 145-foot high waterfall that happens to be 1,120 feet below ground deep inside Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN .

Rating:

4 generic beers out of a six-pack that a friend of a friend brought to a company picnic. Wonderful falls, long and nerve-racking trek to see them.

We had seen the signs along the highway when passing through Chattanooga, TN, and being the adventurers that we are, we had to stop and take a look. The road up the the mountainside is steep, windy, and narrow. Easy enough for cars, but a little tougher for Sprinkles, the bus. Once at the top, there is plenty of parking and we seemed to be the only RV there so they parked us with the tour buses.

This is a commercial place, not a state or federal park, so at the ticket counter they try to sell you all of their packages, a t-shirt, and anything else. Now we aren't cheep, although Randy Randerson has been known to squeeze a quarter so tight the eagle screams, we just found this time-consuming when we would rather be on the adventure.

Note: If you are claustrophobic - this is not for you.

Originally there was no natural opening to the falls. It was discovered by someone crawling around and into the cracks in the rock. The walkways to the falls were built over time and as they ran low on money, the height and width of the walkways became smaller and smaller (less rock to remove). You are 1200 feet underground for more than an hour and the space can seem very small. Once you arrive at the actual Falls, it opens up into a wide open space.

The tour starts with an elevator ride down into the mountain. The groups get pretty large and your tour guide will be busy keeping people together, maintaining the pace to stay on track with the timings of the tour, and talking about some of the amazing geological formations along the way.

Once you get to the falls, take a minute to think about what you are seeing. This is not man made, it is a natural cavern carved out over thousands of years by water flowing through the rocks. The falls themselves crash down through this open space into a small natural basin in the floor of the cave only to drain on through deeper into the mountain. It is likely that this scene is repeated deep below the cavern that you are standing in (1200 feet below ground).

When you have returned from your tour, spend a little time on the grounds and climb the staircase to the top of the tower. You can see several states from up there and it is a nice place to enjoy the sun and fresh air after being underground for an hour.

Tip:

DO NOT drive your RV to the top of Lookout Mountain. The roads are steep, narrow, and windy. The "up" isn't the issue, it's the drive back "down" that gets scary. Get the marshmallows kids because our brakes are HOT!

The cave is always 60 degrees, so bring a jacket.

Price:

Adult ticket $20

Child Ticket $12