Chattanooga
is about a four/five hour drive from Greenville, depending on which route you
take; too far for a day trip but close enough for a weekend road trip. I’ve had
my eye on the Tennessee city as a possible destination for some time based on
feedback from friends who had made the trip, and although I had driven through
it many times on my way from Chicago to Georgia (when I lived southeast of
Atlanta) I knew very little about this town rapidly gaining popularity among
outdoor enthusiasts. With the grandparents in town we decided to head west to
the “Scenic City” to see what we could see.
Our
first day in Chattanooga was a cold, dreary, rainy January day. The plan was to
visit the attractions on Lookout Mountain, but seeing as the only thing that
could be seen from the summit were clouds, we opted to stay indoors. Well, sort
of.
In
1928, Leo Lambert and a team of excavators found a breathtaking waterfall
located 1,120 feet below the surface of Lookout Mountain. They were
attempting to drill an entrance to a cave off the Tennessee River that had been
sealed when a rail line was built, and instead encountered a previously
unexplored opening. Crawling into this chasm the team discovered an underground
waterfall, later named after Lambert’s wife, Ruby. Opened as a public
attraction in 1930, Ruby Falls draws thousands of visitors each year.
We
parked and entered the “Cavern Castle,” constructed entirely of limestone
excavated in the 1920’s when installing the elevator. After purchasing our
tickets we waited for the next tour to begin, and soon we were assembled near
the elevators to start our descent into the heart of the mountain.
From
the elevators it is about ½ mile through a narrow, winding path to the falls.
Interesting stalagmite and stalactite formations were marked and illuminated,
some more interesting than others. It was about 60˚F underground, warm enough
that we could leave our winter coats in the car, and the passage was well-illuminated
albeit rather uneven, the largest hazards being a stumble or a bump on the head
for us taller folk (or the need to use the facilities, as the closest restroom
is back on the surface!). Vilis rode in the backpack carrier, a tight squeeze
in a few places but still preferable to carrying him on the hip, and the guide
was chatty and knowledgeable while a short video emphasized the historical
points of the cave. Finally, some 40 minutes later we arrived at the falls.
Ruby
Falls is illuminated by a light show which is automatically turned on and off
for the various groups. When we arrived it was off, the waterfall audible but
not visible. Once the light show started we had about 5 minutes to jockey for
position at the railing to take photographs and admire the falls – then the
lights went off and the guide started herding us back. In my opinion the ticket
prices to this attraction are rather steep, and although I understand that
there must be a high overhead for all employees, insurance, lighting etc., I
feel that we should have had a little more time at the falls – it was
disappointing to feel rushed. The light show also means that you don’t get the
view of the waterfall that is shown in the brochure – instead it is fluorescent
purples and pinks and blues – also beautiful, but more emphasis placed on the
theatrical rather than natural wonder.
Upon
emerging aboveground we climbed the tower to see if the weather had cleared. It
hadn’t. However, we had a great view of the solar panels that power LED light
show. If it wasn’t raining we could have spent some time on the playground, but
as it was we headed down the mountain to find lunch. Ruby Falls has snacks for
sale, a ziplining adventure, gem mining for kids and various other side
attractions, and they offer special events such as lantern tours, holiday
lights and even weddings – see website for details.
While
there are dozens of caverns and caves in the region, Lookout Mountain is the
only one with such a spectacular waterfall. According to the website, it is the
tallest and deepest underground waterfall open to the public. In addition to
the great views of the Tennessee River valley, Ruby Falls is on the National
Register of Historic Places, a rather famous attraction for almost 100 years. However,
the passage to the falls was mostly excavated, so although there were some interesting
natural formations, the cave itself didn’t compare to other caves we’ve visited
(such as the Cave of Antiparos) – it was the waterfall that made this
attraction. Finally, if it weren’t for the super-short time at the falls I
would recommend this as a must-see in Chattanooga, however based on our
experience I instead suggest this as a rainy-day adventure or an excursion
offering something different once you’ve exhausted the outdoors options
available on Lookout Mountain.
Super!
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