Ruby Falls in Chattanooga: What to Expect Before You Go

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Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is an underground waterfall hidden inside Lookout Mountain. To reach it, visitors descend 260 feet by glass-front elevator and follow a guided cave trail past stalactites, stalagmites, and other rock formations before arriving at the waterfall.

We visited Ruby Falls ourselves, and the experience is part cave tour, part geology lesson, and part “how exactly is there a waterfall inside this mountain?”

If you’re planning a visit, there are a few things worth knowing ahead of time – especially about the cave temperature, walking conditions, tickets, and how long the tour takes.

Ruby Falls at a Glance

• Located inside Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga
• Cave temperature: about 60°F year-round
• Standard Cave Walk: about 1 mile round trip
• Typical tour time: about 1 hour 20 minutes
• Allow 2–3 hours total for the attraction
• Timed-entry tickets are sold online in advance
• Free parking
• Cave trail includes uneven areas and 36 stairs
• Wheelchairs and strollers are not permitted inside the cave
• High Point ZIP Adventure is available seasonally

Ruby Falls recommends buying tickets ahead because time slots can sell out.

What Is the Temperature Inside Ruby Falls?

The temperature inside Ruby Falls Cave stays around 60°F year-round.

That makes it pleasantly cool during a hot Chattanooga summer, but it may feel chilly if you’re wearing shorts and a tank top.

I’d bring a light sweater or jacket if you tend to get cold easily.

The cave temperature stays fairly consistent regardless of what’s happening outside, so this is also one attraction where the weather doesn’t completely control your plans.

How Long Is the Ruby Falls Tour?

The standard Cave Walk to the Waterfall typically takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

The round-trip cave walk is approximately one mile, and guests should be comfortable walking, standing, and keeping pace with the group for up to 90 minutes.

Ruby Falls recommends allowing 2 to 3 hours overall so you’ll also have time to explore the overlooks, visit the gift shop, and grab something to eat.

The Ruby Falls Cave Walk

Your visit begins by descending approximately 260 feet into Lookout Mountain in a glass-front elevator.

From there, a guide leads the group through the cavern toward Ruby Falls.

The trail is paved but can be uneven and wet in places, and the standard Cave Walk includes 36 stairs.

The passages also narrow in places.

This isn’t a strenuous hike, but it also isn’t a perfectly flat museum walkway.

Wear shoes with sturdy soles and leave the heels, flip-flops, and slippery sandals for another day.

Stalactites, Stalagmites, and Cave Formations

One of the fun parts of the walk is spotting the cave formations along the way. Some formations have acquired imaginative names because of what they resemble.

We spotted shapes that looked like everything from a donkey to a potato chip.

Memory trick: stalactites hold tight to the ceiling, while stalagmites might eventually reach the top.

Corny? Yes.

Useful? Also yes.

Keep an eye out as you walk. The cave’s cool, damp air is what keeps these formations growing, just very, very slowly. Some of the formations you’ll pass took thousands of years to form, so look, but don’t touch. The oils from your hands can stop them from growing.

The Ruby Falls Waterfall

Eventually, the trail opens into the waterfall room.

Ruby Falls is the tallest underground waterfall open to the public in the United States.

The waterfall’s flow changes with the amount of water moving through the surrounding watershed. Rain can actually make the waterfall more dramatic, although prolonged heavy rain can occasionally affect cave operations.

That means a rainy Chattanooga day isn’t necessarily a bad day to visit.

Quite the opposite.

A Little Ruby Falls History

Ruby Falls was discovered in 1928 by Leo Lambert while he was exploring an unknown cave inside Lookout Mountain. He named the waterfall after his wife, Ruby.

The historic limestone castle at the entrance was built in 1929. The attraction opened to the public in 1930. It’s a pretty unusual entrance to a cave tour, which is saying something when the cave has a waterfall inside it.

Ruby Falls Tickets

Ruby Falls requires timed-entry tickets, and cave tour tickets are sold online in advance. Walk-up tickets are not sold onsite. Current standard Cave Walk prices are:

• Adults: $29.95
• Children ages 4–12: $19.95
• Seniors 65+: $28.95
• Children 3 and younger: free

Prices can change, so check Ruby Falls directly before your visit. Ruby Falls is open year-round. Cave Walk times are set by your timed ticket, so check available times when you book. I would book several days ahead if your travel dates are fixed, particularly during weekends, holidays, and school breaks.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Ruby Falls?

Ruby Falls is open year-round, and the cave stays around 60°F regardless of season.

If you want fewer crowds, Ruby Falls recommends booking a reservation before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m., and weekdays are generally less busy than weekends and holidays.

Winter can be an interesting time to visit because crowds tend to be lighter, while increased seasonal precipitation can make the waterfall flow stronger.

Summer is naturally popular because Chattanooga is busy with family travelers.

If you’re visiting during peak vacation season, booking early matters more than choosing the “perfect” month.

Holidays at Ruby Falls

From November 27 through December 24, Ruby Falls dresses up for the season with holiday lights in the Village Plaza, festive activities inside the historic castle, and a Forest of Wishes where you can leave a handwritten holiday wish. Warm up afterward with hot cocoa at the café. Check the Ruby Falls website for event details.

Accessibility at Ruby Falls

The cave itself is not wheelchair accessible, and strollers are not permitted inside.

The cavern trail includes narrow passages, uneven surfaces, and groups of stairs.

Ruby Falls does offer accessible parking and other accommodations around the park, so visitors with mobility concerns should contact Guest Services before arriving to discuss options.

There is also a Gentle Walking Tour on select days, but it still includes the one-mile route, uneven pathways, and 36 stairs.

Visiting Ruby Falls with Kids

The standard Cave Walk is appropriate for all ages, but parents should consider whether younger children are comfortable walking and standing for the length of the tour.

There are no restrooms inside the cave, so this is one of those times when “Does anybody need to go?” should not be treated as a rhetorical question.

Use the restroom before your tour. Future you will be grateful.

What Should You Wear to Ruby Falls?

I’d recommend:

• Comfortable walking shoes with good traction
• Lightweight layers
• A sweater or jacket if you get cold easily
• Comfortable clothes that allow you to walk and climb stairs

The cave path can be damp or wet, so footwear matters more than dressing for Instagram.

Ruby Falls specifically recommends sturdy soles and advises against heels, sandals, and backless shoes.

What to Bring

Keep it simple. Ruby Falls allows one small personal bag up to 19 x 14 x 7 inches inside the cave. Larger bags need to be left in a storage locker.

You may want:

• Phone or camera
• Light layer
• Small personal bag
• Water for before or after the tour

You don’t need hiking gear.

Taking Photos in the Cave

You can take photos during the cave walk, but remember that the cave is dark and you’ll usually be moving with a group. A phone camera is generally much easier to manage than hauling a large camera setup through narrow passages.

I’d concentrate on enjoying the cave first and getting photos second. Nobody wants to be that person holding up 40 strangers because stalactite number 17 needs a portrait session.

High Point ZIP Adventure

If walking underground isn’t enough excitement for one day, Ruby Falls also offers High Point ZIP Adventure.

The seasonal course includes a round-trip zipline and a 40-foot climbing tower.

Current admission is $21.95, and the experience takes about 45 minutes to one hour. It’s offered seasonally from March through November.

Ruby Falls recommends leaving two hours between the start time of your Cave Walk and your zipline reservation if you’re doing both.

Weight restrictions apply:

• Zipline: 60–275 pounds
• Climbing tower: 35–275 pounds

Closed-toe and closed-heel shoes are required.

Parking at Ruby Falls

Parking at Ruby Falls is free.

That is increasingly worth mentioning in travel articles because apparently we’ve reached the point where free parking qualifies as an attraction.

Bringing Your Dog to Ruby Falls

Only service animals are allowed inside the cave, but your pup doesn’t have to wait in the car. Ruby Falls offers four free kennels next to the zipline hut. They’re shaded, covered and open-air. The kennels are available seasonally on a first-come, first-served basis, so there’s no reservation needed.

To help your dog settle in, bring along a bed, food, water, a favorite toy or anything else that makes them comfortable. You can pick up a kennel lock (and a dog treat or two) at the Hospitality Center. If your dog is known to make a break for it, set their crate inside the kennel for extra security.

Scenic Views Above the Cave

Don’t leave immediately after coming back above ground.

Ruby Falls includes access to scenic overlooks with views across Chattanooga, the Tennessee River, and surrounding landscape.

After spending more than an hour inside a mountain, the wide-open view feels particularly good.

Things to Do Near Ruby Falls

Ruby Falls is located at 1720 South Scenic Highway, on Lookout Mountain, so it’s easy to combine with other Chattanooga attractions. Nearby attractions include:

• Lookout Mountain Incline Railway (2.2 miles)
• Rock City (4.1 miles)
• Downtown Chattanooga (4.3 miles)
• Tennessee Aquarium (5.5 miles)

If you have a full day, Ruby Falls and Rock City make a natural pairing because they’re both on Lookout Mountain.

For more ideas, see my Things to Do in Chattanooga post. And since sightseeing inevitably leads to hunger, I’ve also rounded up some places to eat in Chattanooga.

Is Ruby Falls Worth Visiting?

I think so. It’s touristy, yes. Nobody accidentally wanders 260 feet into Lookout Mountain and finds themselves on a timed guided tour.

But it’s also a genuinely unusual natural attraction. The underground walk, cave formations, steady 60-degree temperature, and waterfall make it very different from the typical Chattanooga sightseeing stop.

I would especially recommend Ruby Falls if you’ve never toured a cave before or if you’re already planning to spend time on Lookout Mountain.

Final Call

Ruby Falls is one of those Chattanooga attractions that sounds slightly unbelievable until you’re standing inside Lookout Mountain looking at a waterfall.

If you go, book your ticket ahead, wear shoes with decent traction, use the restroom before the cave walk, and bring a light layer if 60 degrees feels chilly to you.

Then give yourself a little extra time afterward to enjoy the views from Lookout Mountain instead of racing straight back to the car.

Have you toured Ruby Falls – or any other cave with an underground waterfall? Tell me about it in the comments.

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