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All the United States Tennessee Chattanooga Ruby Falls
AO Edited

Ruby Falls

The mysterious wonder of an underground waterfall is illuminated by multicolored lights.

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Added By
Vivian Schmidt
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Ruby Falls.   matthew macpherson/CC BY 2.0
Ruby Falls.   matthew macpherson/CC BY 2.0
Ruby Falls.   joevare/CC BY-ND 2.0
Ruby Falls, illuminated by purple lights.   Jtesla16/CC BY-SA 3.0
The water falling underground.   joevare/CC BY-ND 2.0
  shylilturtle / Atlas Obscura User
  michaelamiller / Atlas Obscura User
  michaelamiller / Atlas Obscura User
  Jeremydco / Atlas Obscura User
The cave to get to Ruby Falls - November 2019   sugarbomb / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Ruby Falls - November 2019   sugarbomb / Atlas Obscura User
2024  
  trixievw / Atlas Obscura User
The lights are LED because of how dark it is down there, but it is still stunning!   krstncastle2 / Atlas Obscura User
Ruby Falls’ underground lake.   Murray Barnes/CC BY 2.0
The entryway to Ruby Falls.   Basheer Tome/CC BY 2.0
A Ruby Falls barn advertisement.   Brent Moore/CC BY 2.0
Some of the many breathtaking views in the caves   Jeremydco / Atlas Obscura User
  dc2az1 / Atlas Obscura User
  dc2az1 / Atlas Obscura User
Ruby Falls   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Ruby Falls Cave has all the geological features one would expect (stalactites, stalagmites, etc.) with one magical addition: an underground waterfall. Until humans tunneled into the cave in the 19th century, the water had been trickling undiscovered beneath Tennessee for roughly 200 million years.

The cave system, called Lookout Mountain Caverns, had been used for shelter as far back as the Civil War, likely even earlier. But when a railroad was built to intersect with the caves, they were sealed shut. It wasn't until amateur spelunker Leo Lambert tunneled higher up the mountainside to reopen the caverns that the underground waterfall was exposed to the light of day.  

Lambert named the falls for his wife, Ruby, and opened them to the public. They became a popular tourist destination, advertised across the South on barns painted with the slogan "See Ruby Falls." The caves and the underground waterfall were some of the first such attractions to be electrically lit. The light display continues to wow visitors, as its hues melt into one another on the cavern walls.

On your way out, be sure to climb up Lookout Mountain Tower, a 70-foot tower built in the 1920s with the limestone excavated from the original elevator shaft, offering a gorgeous view of the mountain.

Related Tags

Underground Caves Waterfalls Water Ecosystems

Know Before You Go

Bringing the little kids? Don’t bring a stroller. The pathways in the cave are tight and there is only one way in and one way out. If you are wearing a small child, wear them in the front. There are some low ceilings throughout the tour. You don’t want to duck your head, just to hit the baby square on the noggin.

Community Contributors

Added By

vivianilene

Edited By

leslipeterson, Jeremydco, Molly McBride Jacobson, krstncastle2...

  • leslipeterson
  • Jeremydco
  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • krstncastle2
  • Collector of Experiences
  • trixievw
  • sugarbomb
  • dc2az1
  • michaelamiller
  • Jason Michael Walker
  • shylilturtle
  • Looneybin1980
  • xty0811

Published

December 5, 2016

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Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Falls
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lookout_Mountain_Caverns
  • https://365atlantatraveler.com/ruby-falls/
Ruby Falls
1720 Scenic Hwy
Chattanooga, Tennessee
United States
35.019099, -85.339397
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

International Towing and Recovery Museum

Chattanooga, Tennessee

miles away

Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

miles away

Songbirds Foundation

Chattanooga, Tennessee

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Chattanooga

Chattanooga

Tennessee

Places 10
Stories 2

Nearby Places

International Towing and Recovery Museum

Chattanooga, Tennessee

miles away

Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

miles away

Songbirds Foundation

Chattanooga, Tennessee

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Chattanooga

Chattanooga

Tennessee

Places 10
Stories 2

Related Stories and Lists

The Hidden Wonders of Chattanooga

List

Sponsored by Chattanooga Tourism

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