Ruby Falls — 145ft Plunge in Tennessee

Ruby Falls is a 145-foot plunge waterfall in Hamilton County, Tennessee, reached by an easy walk over 1 miles.

Ruby Falls is the 145-foot underground waterfall inside Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee — the tallest underground commercial waterfall in the U.S. and one of the country's most-visited cave attractions. Discovered in 1928 during the construction of an elevator shaft into the cave, the falls are accessed via a guided 1-hour tour that descends 1,120 feet by elevator into the limestone cave system. The waterfall itself is in a chamber lit dramatically with colored lights — a presentation that's part natural wonder, part 1930s tourism theater. Located on Lookout Mountain, easy stop on a Chattanooga visit.

What to expect

Drive to the Ruby Falls entrance on Lookout Mountain (about 10 minutes from downtown Chattanooga). Buy timed tour tickets ahead online (essential — tours sell out, especially on summer weekends). The tour begins with an elevator descent into the cave, then a guided walk through the cave passages to the falls chamber. The presentation is theatrical with colored lighting. Pair with Rock City Gardens (also on Lookout Mountain), the Tennessee Aquarium, or the Civil War Lookout Mountain Battlefield.