On the Trail…Inside Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

June 17, 2008

This is one of those places that should be on everybody’s short list of places to visit. A big slice of American history was written here at the battle of Lookout Mountain during the Civil War in the fall of 1863, and how often do you get to tour an underground cavern with a huge subterranean waterfall.

The turnoff for Ruby Falls, which means the tour of the cave, is well marked along Interstate 24 as it sweeps through the heart of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Follow the signs a short distance from the freeway to a modest parking lot which is not really recommended for large RVs. Enter the main building, fork over a few bucks per person, and ride an elevator deep into the mountain. From there a guide leads your party about a half-mile through a cavern filled with natural wonders until you reach the falls. The colors in this photograph result from the various colored lights that will be shown on the waterfall during your stay in front of the falls. After lingering near Ruby Falls, the guide leads you back to the elevator. Total time for the tour is about an hour.

Lots of other stuff to see in and around Chattanooga, too. Civil War buggs will also find the Chickamauga battlefield a few miles to the south and Lookout Mountain itself has several more attractions, including Rock City, which is well worth the price of admission..