Visiting Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, TN

If you’re planning a first time trip to the Chattanooga area, you probably included Ruby Falls in your itinerary. This popular tourist attraction, which is the deepest underground waterfall in the United States, provides a truly unique experience in the Scenic City.

Whether you’re traveling to Ruby Falls with kids or adults, you’re sure to have several questions about this impressive spot near Chattanooga. In this post, we will try to answer all your questions about Ruby Falls, including how to get there, what it’s like to tour with a baby or toddler, and how it compares to Rock City.

So, continue reading below for everything you need to know about one of the most unique things to do in Chattanooga: Ruby Falls!

Where is Ruby Falls?

Ruby Falls is located on Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee. If you’re traveling from the downtown Chattanooga area, the attraction sits at just a ten minute drive from the city.

Visitors who are coming from other nearby cities should have no problem finding Ruby Falls. Once you exit off the Interstate, you’ll find lots of clearly marked signs for Rock City, the Incline Railway, and Ruby Falls.

To Nashville

If you’re traveling to/from Nashville, you’ll take Interstate 24 toward Chattanooga. Ruby Falls is located at just over a two hour drive from Nashville; although, traffic coming into the city of Chattanooga can often get backed up.

To Atlanta

Those visiting from the Atlanta area will most likely take Interstate 75 to travel north into Chattanooga. The drive to Ruby Falls should take just under two hours.

To Dollywood and Pigeon Forge

Many families like to combine visits to multiple East Tennessee cities like Chattanooga and Gatlinburg during their trip. If you’re planning to visit Dollywood, Gatlinburg, or Pigeon Forge on your vacation, you could also add a stop at Ruby Falls to your itinerary.

If this is your plan, you would just travel south on Interstate 75 to get from Dollywood to Chattanooga. This trip will take roughly 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on traffic in Pigeon Forge. 

Ruby Falls History

Many visitors are curious about the history of Ruby Falls prior to their visit. Since your tour includes a really interesting video of how Ruby Falls was discovered and how it was formed, I don’t want to spoil too much of the information here.

Basically, Leo Lambert discovered the cave and falls in the late 1920’s. It is named after his wife, Ruby Lambert. While you tour the cavern, you’ll see the spots where Leo crawled with his lantern on his adventure. You’ll also learn about the waterfall and how it changes throughout the years.

Ruby Falls Cave Tours

Ruby Falls is open year-round (except on Christmas Day), and you can purchase tickets for the tours on their official website. When we bought tickets, the website stated that you weren’t able to book tours in person, but I saw many people doing that with no problem.

Once your time slot is called, your tour guide will take your group into a glass-front elevator, which travels underground to the entrance of the cave. Our tour group only had about 12 people in it, and we all fit in one elevator. If you are in a larger group, the tour guide will take two separate loads down.

After you enter the cave, your tour guide will explain some basic rules. Shortly after this, you’ll watch the video of the history of Ruby Falls.

Then, your group will follow the tour guide through the caverns. He/she will stop to explain features of the cave and answer questions from guests. Our tour guide had a really great personality and made the journey super fun.

On your way to the waterfall, your group will most likely have to stop to let other tour groups (who are on their way back from the falls) go by. Once you finally reach the fall, you’ll be permitted to take lots of pictures and selfies before heading back out to the pathway.

Many visitors are curious about how long the Ruby Falls cave tour lasts. Our tour took about 90 minutes, but we had a really small group. If the group scheduled during your time slot holds 30 or so people, you will want to plan for longer than 90 minutes.

Ruby Falls with a Baby or Toddler

If you are visiting Ruby Falls with a baby, toddler, or younger kids, you may be wondering if they can handle the tour. In all honesty, I would probably wait until your children are older before planning a visit to Ruby Falls.

Since you are required to tour the cave with a guide, you can’t really walk at your own pace, and 90 minutes of slow walking isn’t really ideal for younger kids. We had my five-year-old daughter with us on our guided tour, and she started asking when it would be over at just fifteen minutes in.

There were also families with toddlers and babies in our group and in the groups that passed. I think every single toddler we saw during the tour was being carried and throwing a fit at some point.

If you have a really small baby who you think will just sleep the whole time, you could probably handle visiting Ruby Falls. However, if your kids aren’t yet at the age to have a really long attention span, they may get bored early on in the tour.

Additionally, many visitors want to know if Ruby Falls is stroller friendly. Unfortunately, the attraction’s cavern trail is not able to accommodate strollers. Therefore, you’ll want to wear a baby carrier or just carry your toddler throughout the tour.

Ruby Falls vs Rock City

If you have never visited the city of Chattanooga or the historic Lookout Mountain, you may be wondering if Ruby Falls is the same as Rock City. While the two attractions are located within close proximity of each other, they are very different experiences.

Whereas Ruby Falls is an underground cave tour to a waterfall, Rock City is a (mostly) outdoor walk along scenic pathways. While Rock City also features a waterfall, it is an outdoor fall that you can view from a distance as opposed to the underground fall at Ruby Falls.

If you’re looking for more information on Rock City, we highly recommend checking out our Honest Review of Rock City Gardens. In that article, we go into detail on what it’s like to tour Rock City as a family.

Is Ruby Falls Worth It?

If you’re planning a trip to Chattanooga and wondering if Ruby Falls is worth it, the answer is- it depends. Families visiting with older kids and adults will definitely enjoy the Ruby Falls experience, and I would even say it’s a must-see destination.

It’s a really unique attraction, and the caves and waterfall are stunning to see in person. The tour is also really informative and could be used as an educational experience that is also entertaining.

If you’re traveling with younger kids, it may be a good idea to add Rock City to your Chattanooga itinerary while saving Ruby Falls for your next visit when the kids are older. Rock City allows you to tour at your own pace and there’s a lot more free space for kids to explore. 

Personally, I would recommend Ruby Falls to those traveling with groups of people aged 10 years old and above. Additionally, Ruby Falls offers a High Point Zip Adventure that’s the perfect add-on for older kids and adults.

Final Review of Ruby Falls

Overall, Ruby Falls is a great place to visit in Chattanooga TN. The history behind the accidental discovery of the cavern is really interesting, and it’s fun to see the underground rock formations in person.

We lucked out with a really quick-witted tour guide who made our cave walk tour even more enjoyable. Plus, you really can’t beat the amazing sight of the thundering waterfall once you actually reach Ruby Falls.

Since the Ruby Falls parking lot is just a short walk to the caves and the attraction is easy to combine with experiences like the Incline Railway and Rock City, we would definitely recommend adding Ruby Falls to your list of must see Chattanooga Attractions!

​You’ll also want to check out the visitor center and gift shop for additional information and keepsakes! Do you think Ruby Falls is worth it? Comment below to share your thoughts!