The Ultimate Guide To Ruby Falls
Ruby Falls is the tallest underground waterfall in the US, that is open to the public and the only underground waterfall I have ever seen. The spectacular Ruby Falls was accidentally discovered by Leo Lambert, a cave enthusiast, who named the falls after his wife, Ruby. It’s a must-see in Tennessee; there are guided tours of the cavern, leading you through the cave to this beautiful underground waterfall. Watch Ruby Falls in action, in my short video – The amazing Ruby Falls.
There’s an elevator that takes you down to the cave’s entrance, and then your tour guide will escort you to the waterfall. You would need to walk about a mile, round trip, on a narrow but paved trail. On the way, you will see several astounding rock formations and a fault line caused by tectonic movements of the Earth’s plates, right above you on the ceiling of the cave.
Address: 1720 S Scenic Hwy, Chattanooga, TN 37409, Timing: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Entrance Fee: There are several options; find more details here.
Best Way To Explore Ruby Falls
Ruby Falls Cave Tours
Classic Waterfall Tour: Guided tour of the cavern, takes around 1 hour 15 mins via some stunning rock formations that lead to beautiful waterfalls. Besides the waterfall, on your trip, you will see a fault line caused by tectonic movements of the Earth’s plates, running right above you. You will also see some impressive rock formations like the Elephant’s Foot, Dragon’s Foot, Angle’s Wing a drapery/curtain formation, Frozen Niagara, and several others. The waterfall also features a light show that illuminates the entire waterfall; it’s awe-inspiring and a real treat to your eyes and soul! I did the Classic tour and would recommend it to the first-timers.
Lantern Tour: This is a specialty tour offered seasonally every Friday night. There is no light in the entire cave except handheld lanterns. I haven’t done this tour but can tell that it will be adventurous and a one-of-a-kind experience.
Gentle Walking Tour: This is a slow-paced tour, giving you more time to explore the cave and the waterfall.
Some Tips
There’s complimentary parking available even for RVs, and they do have Dog Kennels. There’s an elevator that takes you down to the cavern. The wait time normally ranges from 10-30 minutes; you will have to line up in front of the elevator once your tour time is announced. If you arrive early or have time after your tour, there are several other attractions at Ruby Falls –
Lookout Mountain Tower: It is a tall observation tower, about 70 ft tall, built using the limestone excavated while installing the elevator at Ruby Falls. You can either take the stairs or use the elevator to go to the upper level and then take a few steps to get to the top of the tower. The Lookout Mountain Tower offers some breathtaking and sweeping views of the area. There are two decks, and you can access both at no extra cost. There’s an observation room in the upper level fitted with large windows, comfortable seating facing the windows, a restroom, and a small cafeteria.
Gift Shop and Cavern Café: There’s a gift shop and café serving snacks and drinks.
High Point ZIP Adventure: Open seasonally, offering some thrilling zip lines on top of Lookout Mountain.
Rock City and Incline Railway are the other two popular attractions close to Ruby Falls, and I highly recommend visiting those places. If you decide to visit Rock City and Incline Railway, which I highly recommend, I would recommend buying the combo tickets for all three attractions.
Other Tennessee Attractions & Related Posts
I hope you enjoyed reading the post, The Ultimate Guide To Ruby Falls, and I expect this will help you plan your trip to the Ruby Falls. It was a one-of-a-kind experience for me; I was amazed by the sight of the Ruby Falls!
Happy feeding your soul!
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