5 Reasons to Visit Ruby Falls and What to Wear

My husband and I recently took a vacation to the Chattanooga, Tennessee/Lookout Mountain, Georgia area. One of the places we visited was Ruby Falls. Ruby Falls is an amazing underground waterfall and cave system, and it’s well worth a visit if you get the chance. Here are five reasons to visit and my take on what to wear.

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We made contact with their media relations department for permission to compose images on their property to use in the blog. We were provided with a quick response and press passes. All opinions contained within are my own and we truly enjoyed our experience. Their public relations staff was super friendly and easy to work with. We were told that the earlier the better for photo opportunities, so we booked an 8:30 a.m. tour.

That’s the first reason to visit – the staff is amazing, knowledgeable and friendly. You can spend time in the gift shop while waiting for your tour or chat with the staff.

Your tour begins with a 26 story decent (1120 feet) underground in an elevator with a tour guide. Our tour guide, Chuck, was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining too. Ruby Falls was discovered in 1928 by Leo Lambert, who was excavating an elevator shaft for Lookout Mountain Cave. A void in the rock and a rush of air was discovered and Lambert crawled through a narrow passage about 18 inches high to discover the cave system and waterfall. To this day, no one knows the source of the water.

Don’t worry – you don’t have to crawl and you won’t get dirty. A nice passage trail has been excavated to the waterfall. It is a bit damp, but it’s still a really easy way to tour a cave.

Along the way, you learn about the stalagmites and stalactites. Ruby Falls is still an active cave so you are asked to not touch the walls and formations. The oil from your skin will stop the formation growth for ten years! Over the years the guides have named some of the formations for their resemblances.

I’m standing here at Cactus and Candle, one of the more notable formations. It has stopped growing and you may touch this one. This is truly an educational experience for both kids and adults.

At the end of the trail awaits one of the most breathtaking sights you will ever see. You get to see the waterfall under a seven minute light show.

My husband visited as a kid and says that, at 45, this is just as astounding of an experience for him as it was as a kid. This was my first visit and I’m just in awe of God’s creations. There is no other way to explain it. It’s truly something you have to see for yourself.

Other reasons to visit- Ruby falls is easy to get to and there is lots of parking. It’s basically an indoor activity you can do any time of the year. The cave is about 60 degrees year round.

So what do you wear? I had to balance between the outdoor weather and the mild temps in the cave. It was 18 degrees the morning we went, but I left my coat in the truck because it was a short walk inside and a coat is not needed inside. I chose to layer a striped turtleneck tee with a cable knit sweater, both older pieces from my closet from Old Navy. I didn’t need any more layers but at 60 degrees I was not hot.

You also need to wear shoes suitable for walking and with non slip soles. There are some slippery spots on the trail but I was fine in my Vince Camuto over the knee boots. Remember, I was striking a balance between the mild cave temps and the rest of my day outside. These boots are on trend but still comfortable for walking.

Sweater- Old Navy option option option

turtleneck- Old Navy option option option

jeans- NYDJ option option

boots- Vince Camuto option

earrings- Kendra Scott

Once we hit the outside to walk up to the observation deck that overlooks the river, I had to bundle up. A plaid scarf and a fun pom pom beanie are great accessories for staying warm.