Ruby Falls Brochure

You're probably familiar the famous billboard ads for Rock City that shout "See Rock City!" There's hundreds of them all over the interstate in the South. Rock City sits on top of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Ruby Falls is another Chattanooga attraction whose billboards could read, "See What's Under Rock City!" You see, Ruby Falls is in a cave inside Lookout Mountain.


The folks at Ruby Falls know how to put on a show. First it's nice to see a cave lit with colored lights. I'm sure some cave purists frown on this, but I like my caves to be lit like a carnival funhouse.

But most importantly the revel of the the Falls is done with great showmanship to create maximum impact. As your tour group nears the Falls it's almost totally dark except for small theater-like lights at the floor. Dramatic orchestral music is played to set the mood. When you enter the chamber the Falls are in, you can hear the rushing water and feel the wind it creates but can't see the Falls. The music swells, and a pre-recorded announcer says, "Ladies and gentlemen, Ruby Falls!" (or something like this. I was a kid when I last visited). They turn on all the lights, and you stand there in awe at the majesty of Ruby Falls.

One other memorable thing from my visit to Ruby Falls was something our tour guide said. There are small pools of water along side the path as you walk towards the Falls. The pools are created by water dripping through the rocks above. At one of these pools our guide said, "This water may look safe to drink, but due to all the minerals it's collected as it seeped through the rocks above it now has a powerful laxative effect. If you were to drink it we probably couldn't you get you back to the surface in time."

Wow I don't know why the owners of Ruby Falls don't start bottling up their magical colon cleaning water. Come on, give those folks at Ex-Lax a run for their money!