Ruby Falls Reviews

Absolutely stunning waterfall! Wish we would have known ahead of time how tight some of the walking spaces were. It’s about 0.5 miles each direction and very tight in some spaces. Lots of great information from the tour guides about the history here

My son and I had a great experience here! Jayden was a great tour guide but if youre in the back you can't hear most of the tour. Wear comfy shoes and be ready to walk. The tour moves pretty quickly and you only get 5 mins at the falls but was def an experience we won't soon forget!

There is not much in Chattanooga itself so most people come here to Ruby Falls. They live up to the hype. Do not expect big galleries but after a guided walk through pleasant tunnels, one comes to the falls. They are quite impressive and worth the effort. This is not an educational tour but an entertaining tour. Do not expect to learn much about geology or history, but the guides are friendly and the operation is well organized. Afterwards, enjoy the view from above.

This is a beautiful park. Seeing the ancient formations in the cave and waterfall was a great way to spend the morning. It's pretty amazing that the park has made this an experience that is easy for folks to see...who would have thought seeing these underground wonders would be possible for people who aren't professional cavers. The view from the historic castle's tower is amazing too! This is a must see park. Also, visiting in what is probably considered the off-season gets my vote. I try to travel as much as possible when crowds are low. Thank you!

Amazing Underground waterfall with beautiful stalagmite/stalactite formations! Worth the price. The kids loved it! About an hour tour. We were the last tour at 8pm which was lovely and not as crowded! Tour guide was great! Great lookout over Chattanooga too! Easy to get to!

Outstanding visit and tour guide. Went on the earliest tour of the day which was perfect. Guide was very knowledgeable and took time so we could observe all the wonderful sites on the way to the actual Falls. Historical aspects of the Falls was wonderful to hear. So worth the visit
FYI..,only online booking

The falls were absolutely breathtaking! The hike wasn’t bad, only about a mile. What made the trip the most enjoyable was our awesome tour guide Jayde! She answered all our questions and she was hilarious! If you go, request her!

The falls were lovely and the story is neat. Our tour guide sounded very "canned" and there were a lot of people (both on our tour and other groups that we passed. For me, the multicolor lights seemed to take away from the natural beauty of the place. We haven't done any other cavern tours, so I can't compare. It was definitely a neat experience, but I'm not sure I'd do it again.

The cave itself and the falls are amazing. The tour however was rushed through, explanations of things were given through video, and you were given hardly any time to observe or learn about the natural formations. The walk was easy and short but the tour felt very commercial. Would not recommend based on my experience, even though I loved the falls!

My husband and I have been before but wanted to take the kids. They are 16, 13 and 9. They weren’t overly excited about it but enjoyed seeing the falls at the end. I think this is a fun little trip but likely just a one time thing. Once you’ve seen it, you’ve seen it.

Nearly $80 for a family of 3 (young child). The cave feels warmer than what caves should. There are lines for the elevator to go down. Single file line to walk through with frequent stops to let other lines pass the opposite direction in cramped areas. You can’t hear the guides, although ours didn’t really talk about the cave, just made bad jokes. You couldn’t stop and look at things because your group was rushed off. Ruby Falls itself is pretty, but once again rushed timer to see it for a few minutes before its pitch black. Then your single file line rushed back to the elevator (hurry up and wait on this line too) passing the next groups in narrow passages.

I went years ago and feel like it was better. You had time to look and opportunity to ask questions. Glad we took our son to see it, but we won’t be back.

Worth the time, money and hike. Our guide was 71! He was very informative, educational, and took time to show my fossil crazy grandson the fossils we would have missed. He wanted to make sure we go back. The passing other tours was difficult, but understandable. The waterfall was really cool. The historical video in the cave could be placed above while people are waiting for the elevator, with a more educational video in the cave showing locations within the mountain. A little bit more ventilation or air movement would have made the passage a bit more enjoyable, particularly when groups were passing. Thank you for sharing this beautiful experience!

Very expensive and slowwwww. We like our own pace and not in tour groups cause we have an impatient 17mo old in a hiking backpack who doesn’t like frequent stops and standing around. Once we got to the falls it was like 8 min timed for the light show to light up the falls so we didn’t even get time to take a photo cause others took so long. Not worth the money imo. Wish we would’ve skipped it.

Lucas was our guide and he was awesome, this attraction is more busy than the other we went too but it was well managed and we got to see everything, not a an over strenuous hike, very easy, but there is no place sit and rest once you get done in the mountain, definitely enjoyed it and would go back!

Maybe instead of worrying about the $, you worry about the experience. Just a thought! The cost of the ticket and the amount of time you spent in the cave waiting for the other large groups to pass is a joke. It would have been nice if when waiting you were actually at a point that you could enjoy the surroundings and take some pictures of the amazing formations. This was not the case at all. Not once did we stop in a place that was awe inspiring. Usually looking right at a rock wall while hunched over. I am positive that with some planning the whole experience could be much better with less people being sent through at a rapid pace. Although the falls were beautiful, the rush to get through and keep up with your large group was a true disappointment. Will not be recommending, which is unfortunate when the hi(story) is quite interesting.

I like Ruby, she’s kind and friendly, and her service is doing well. BTW the food here is extremely excellent! I think I will return to this restaurant some day.

The cave is amazing. The waterfall, not as impressive. I concur with what others say: it seems crammed and rushed. That standing against a wall and waiting for outgoing groups to pass in a crazy narrow passage tells me there are just too many people at a time. Our guide was not super knowledgeable and we even provided her info that she “Googled and confirmed while in the cave room.”

Should you go? I think there are some really cool experiences that should get your time and money in the area before Ruby Falls.

I can’t lie, I’ve been to a lot of caves so I wasn’t expecting much from old Ruby Falls. BUT! Our tour guide Russell did such a great job and was so friendly we had a BLAST! The cave walk itself is interesting, but the falls are obviously the main attraction. It’s neat, especially with the pretty lights all on it. There’s plenty of parking and a nice big gift shop too! Check it out.

Very nice place to visit. The tour to visit the watterfall is nice and the trail is easy. Our guide was not so experient so we missed a little more information during the trail but was just fine.

The tours was very crowded and rushed. The groups are made to stand to the side and wait for other groups to finish. No interaction with the tour guides due to the size of the group. Waterfall is pretty but not worth the money.

It has a snack area-you can eat inside or outside-Thomas was a well spoken guide. The western sunset and the falls were my fav

We’ve been multiple times. It’s always a good experience. The tour guides are really good. Enjoyable for all ages.

Excellent choice to tour. It had over 20 yrs since I first saw Ruby Falls, brought my children.. now I’m a senior and it was just as beautiful. The walk through the tour wasn’t bad. Our guides Bo and Josh were patient and very professional. There are a lot of tours so there are a lot of people in the mountain. This was a very well coordinated tour.

You are rushed through the whole system. Your group gets 5 minutes at the waterfall. It is timed. If it is a larger group wanting to take pictures, then there is no time to actually take in the scenery. The person in charge of tour would point things out but kept right on walking. If you have little children, like we did,then you really cant even have time to look at them because the little legs have to keep up. I would not recommend. There are better ones out there that give you more time.

Ruby falls was beautiful. I wish we didn't do the "express" tour. It was very rushed. I would have liked to have more time to take in the beauty along the walk to the falls and take pictures. Stopping to let other groups go by also took up time. We only had 7 people in our group and it was still rushed. I had to take pictures while we ran through the caverns but we did get 5 minutes to take pictures of the beautiful falls.

Claustrophobic for me and I went back up. But my husband and son enjoyed it. Staff was nice and understanding.

This was a beautiful and interesting place. Our guide was Ray, who was humorous and knowledgeable about the cave’s history. We took the 10 am tour so the waits were not bad. It took about 70 minutes. Even though told not to touch anything in the cave, people (adults and children) did anyway. The tour was only marred by unhappy, crying children who really had no interest in the cave and were being forced to be there. I think there is an adults only tour but it was not available.

Went on a Friday morning without reservations. Only waited 30 minutes. It was an nice experience that lasted 90 minutes. The fall had a great volume/flow to it. Everyone was super friendly.

This was a wonderful experience with so much history and beauty. I will say it is quite a walk back to the falls (about a 1/2 mile) but it is worth it. The walk is uneven at times and a little narrow. Our guide was terrific! Wear comfy clothes and definitely good, comfy walking shoes.

Ruby Falls is a unique wonder: a breathtaking underground waterfall, nestled in a spectacular cave with scenic lights. His story is a mixture of love, courage and engineering. The organization is excellent. I had bought three tickets online by mistake instead of one, but the staff was very kind: at the desk I explained my mistake and they kept one of the three valid and refunded the other two on the credit card even if they are officially non-refundable. Really professional. Highly recommended to anyone passing by Chattanooga!

Almost decided not to go because of much walking. The distance is about one mile total. After thinking about it, decided it would be worth the walk to see the falls. Boy was it! Some steps but not many and the guide moved the group slowly. Especially walking to the falls. As we arrived at the falls many ooze and awes were heard. We have seen many waterfalls but by far this is the most spectacular. Highly recommend.

This was such a beautiful journey. The tour guide was amazing, we learned so much and left with smiles on our faces. Love ruby falls

Great experience from start to finish!
Lots of parking, clear directions, kid friendly. Our family of three enjoyed the gift shop before entering the tour. There were bathrooms and water available. The guides on the tour were very nice and helpful full of information about the cave, waterfall, and everything you could think of to ask. Three tour was slow enough to hear information along the walk to the falls but quick enough to not be standing around.

I will say I wad disappointed how many people disturb the beautiful cave with gum ask over the floors and coins thrown in all the standing water holes. It was disheartening.

The waterfall was beautiful and plenty of time to look, admire and take some photos.
On the way back up we headed to the to overlook outside there was three sets of stairs to the overlook the city below, which was so beautiful and worth it.

Not one bad thing could be said about this beautiful cave, incredible waterfall and great tour. I would highly recommend. Our 7 year old was not bored and loved the tour and seeing all there was too see.

Loved the tour guide Peter! First time in a cave and I am interested in exploring more after this experience! The bacon stalactite is my favorite!

This was a great cave experience. The walk was fairly easy with minimal locations where crouching was necessary. The falls inside the cave were altogether extraordinary and we had a great time thanks to our tour guide, Amanda, who brightened the trip with jokes and a great attitude. I highly recommend this tour for anyone who has wanted to see a cave but has been nervous about being claustrophobic, everything felt rather spacious without detracting from the cave experience.

The falls was cool to see! I wouldn't go if there is a drought because there may not a water fall. If you have been to other caves/caverns, don't expect to see too many formations along the way. Only 1 way in/out so when a group is entering/exiting, you have to stand to the side and let them pass. The BIG draw is the waterfall. Times entry - get tickets online.

Ruby falls are beautiful, amazing and breathtaking.

However, as a tour it was good on places and bad in others.

Firstly, the time slots are strictly monitored. Do not be late.

Your timed schedule party will be about 10-15 people, however youbare herded with 2 or 3 other groups, so 45-60 people.

The cave walk is narrow, so single file. You can end up 100 feet away from the guide so you may miss any info thrybare imparting.

When you get to the falls, you have 6 minutes to see them and have your photo taken.. for a party of 60 that is 6 seconds to walk up, look, have your photo taken and leave.. it was super rushed and a little chaotic.

I would assume that this is due to staff cutbacks..

However the cave walk is amazing and the falls are spectacular, if brief.

Interesting history & cave tour. Tyler was an awesome guide. Some of the areas are narrow with low rock ceilings. Many stalagmites, stalactites and cool rock formations. The waterfall is the star of the tour.

Ruby Falls is amazing! You enter the tour through a cavern, so be careful of the uneven terrain. Go in the morning for a chance at a smaller group. We had a fabulous guide- Joshua, I believe- who made sure everyone kept up and could hear his descriptions. He did a great job explaining the formations in the cave. After a walk through the cavern, you will come to a large room which shortly will light up and you can see the falls illuminated in various colors. It is a spectacular scene. On the way out, you will follow the same path so if you missed anything the first time you can see it then. It is easy to find, right off the main highway. Parking is ample and there is a restaurant onsite. The website says to purchase timed tickets online, but I was able to purchase tickets onsite when I arrived. Just check online to be sure there is space available before you go.

Overpriced.
We have seen more caverns in the past, so this was ok. The fall itself is just fine.
The thing that made it fun was our tour guide " Taylor"

What a fun two hours spent at Ruby Falls!! We had already purchased our tickets online about 2 weeks before. Wanted to make sure that they did not sell out before we got there. The tickets were good for a certain time, and we arrived about 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the tour. I don't know if they are flexible on the time if we are late or early. The only way to see the Ruby Falls waterfall is to take this guided tour.

Ruby Falls is inside Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This waterfall is the tallest and deepest underground waterfall open to the public in the U.S.A. It is about 145 feet long, and to access it you have to go down about 260 feet in an elevator. If you are claustrophobic, then you may want to take a pass on Ruby Falls. Although the trail to get to the waterfall is a bit lighted, it is still quite narrow in areas. It can get crowded too with all the groups of people. Every time you meet a group on the trail, then one group has to stop & press against the cave walls so the other group can walk by. Each group had about 40 people.

Despite the crowd, the tour was still fun and educational. Enjoyed learning about the history of Ruby Falls and how it was discovered. Of course, the highlight of the tour was seeing Ruby Falls in person. When we finally got to the cavern, it was completely dark. You could hear the waterfall, but you could not see it. Then the lights came on, and you could see the beautiful Ruby Falls. The lights changed colors every 10 seconds or so it seemed. Make sure to take those selfies and other photos before the light show ends. I think we were there for about 15 minutes before the light show ended, and we were told to exit the cavern. Felt bad for some folks who did not get to take their family photo in front of Ruby Falls. Oh well, you snooze, you lose.

My wife and I truly enjoyed our time at Ruby Falls. Bought our souvenir magnet at their gift shop. Also checked out the castle at Ruby Falls while we were here. Get great views of the Chattanooga valley from up there. It was a hazy day, but still cool. Worth the time and money to see Ruby Falls! Enjoy!!

We bought our tickets online and went on a Monday morning. It wasn’t too busy. Like other reviews, it seemed a little rushed but it was worth going there at least once. The falls were beautiful & we had enough time to take pictures. Doug D. was our tour guide which was great. He had a great sense of humor. If you go, ask for Doug D. One draw back was the person with the purple(blueish) shirt hair running the elevator on the way back up was very rude. She needs a position where she doesn’t have to work or deal with customers. The ticket includes the tower on the building. Once you climb the stairs, there’s a nice view.

We have been looking forward to going to Ruby Falls for about 6 months. It did not disappoint. We were lucky it had rained quite heavy couple days before. So falls were gorgeous. Our tour guide was informative.

I recently visited Ruby Falls with high hopes of exploring its captivating caves and enjoying a memorable experience. However, what transpired during my visit left me deeply disturbed and raises serious doubts about the safety measures and preparedness of this attraction.

After an intriguing cave tour, our return to the surface quickly turned into a nightmare when the elevator abruptly malfunctioned, leaving a group of 12 of us trapped inside. The tour operators themselves appeared visibly scared, which did little to ease our growing sense of panic.

To make matters worse, the emergency phone in the elevator proved to be problematic and took an agonizing 20 minutes before it functioned properly. Adding to our distress, there was absolutely no cellular service available, rendering us completely isolated from the outside world. Being physically confined underground was an unimaginably terrifying experience.

Despite individuals managing to pry open the elevator door, offering a potential escape route, The lack of clear instructions and the evident lack of safety procedures displayed by the staff only exacerbated the already distressing situation. It was disheartening to witness their uncertainty and inability to handle such an emergency.

Regrettably, the situation deteriorated even further as we waited an astonishing two hours for the fire department to finally arrive and assist us. This prolonged period of helplessness and uncertainty was utterly unacceptable, leaving us feeling abandoned and neglected.

Based on my experience, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend Ruby Falls to fellow travelers. The glaring safety lapses, unpreparedness of the staff, and the excruciatingly long wait for professional assistance have left me deeply concerned. It is my sincere hope that the management takes immediate action to rectify these glaring issues and prioritize the safety and well-being of their visitors.

Myself and my friends came to Chattanooga for a bachelorette weekend. The bride and matron of honor had not been to Ruby Falls so that was first on our itinerary.

This was my third time going but it had been 18 years since I last visited. Our tour guide was Ray. Look for the “Santa Claus” look a like. I know they have some scripts that the guides probably follow, but Ray was quite funny and his jokes didn’t sound rehearsed. Ruby falls is always so beautiful and breathtaking. Always an enjoyable place to visit.

Great tour with interesting mineral formations and spectacular waterfall. Go on an early tour to avoid the crowds. Ryan, our guide was very informative and fun.

We had a great time! Couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend my 31st birthday! It was beautiful and our guide Tyler answered all our questions and kept us laughing! We will be back with our kids and for the ghost tour! I highly recommend taking the time to see the falls. Yes, you do get in an elevator for about 10 people but it’s better than waiting for eavh family to travel down one by one.

Gwen made the tour. She was charming and informative. We had a small group which made it really nice.

The lights for Christmas were not exceptional but who doesn’t like walking through a cave with lights especially colorful ones? The falls were spectacular but the room changing under the lights were even more mesmerizing.

The outdoor area was well lit and quite pretty. You don’t need to arrive too early as there is not much to do. You can grab a drink or light snack in the castle cafe or browse the gift shop or go to the tower. We thought there was more active things so we arrived an hour early.

We would go back and we would request Gwen if possible!!

This was a spontaneous stop and I’m so glad I did. It’s an incredible experience and done with excellence. A shout out to our tour guide Jim H. He was full of knowledge and enthusiasm.

We had read about the falls within a mountain but nothing prepares you for the real thing.

The falls have an electronic kiosk to pay for the tour. They only have 2 machines and I don't think that is enough - luckily it wasn't high season! Tours go off in 10 minute intervals and we were soon led by our guide Beau. He was knowledgable and fun.

You go through a mile of caves to get to the falls and it is fairly easy walking. The caves get more interesting as you go with larger caverns and more features. Yuo come out of the dark to see the magnificent Ruby Falls. Stunning in natural colours ans then they light them up in dffereent colours.

A great tour with a good guide. Recommended

The best thing about this cave tour is the waterfall. There is nothing spectacular about the cave formations or the waterfall. The only really unique thing is that the waterfall is underground. There is a definite lack of cave formations compared to some other caves I have been to. The turtle formation was cute though.

There is room for improvement however. The cave is very narrow in places, forcing one tour group to stop and lean against the wall for another tour group to pass very close by. In fact, during once such pass by, one a person on another group was leaning against the wall waiting for our group to pass had her feet extended in to the path way. She crosses her feet nearly tripping me. An easy solution to the problem of having tour groups having to pass each other in narrow places is to cut back the number of tours, Tours leave every 10 minutes. Instead of every 10 minutes, maybe tours should leave every 15-20 minutes. Another big drawback was the 10 minute (though it felt much longer) video we had to watch before the tour actually began. While the video gives historical information about the cave. Throughout the tour there are places where you will see or hear little snippets of the video. I paid to tour the cave, not watch a video.

Be aware that the parking lot is relatively small and fills up quite quickly. Having said that, we arrived quite early for our schedule tour, not knowing what to expect for parking or how long it would take us to arrive. Anyway, we were actually able to go on an earlier tour, so a big thanks to the staff for making that happen. Our tour group was pretty small and we were the 2nd or 3rd tour to go down, giving us plenty of time to look at the falls and cave formations. We also had to keep stopping A LOT and waiting for the 2 families with kids to catch back up because they didn't keep up with the group---this of course has nothing to do with our tour guide or the cave itself. He did keep reminding them to stay with the group and that we had to keep moving. Our guide, Carter was very pleasant, and funny.

A few things to keep in mind if you visit Ruby Falls: the ceilings are low in places, so if you are tall, be warned. The cave is narrow in places, and you will have to either wait against the wall for a group to pass or pass a group waiting for you. Go early---the earlier tours are less crowded, allowing for a more personalized tour that isn't rushed.

Even though I think this is just ok, I would probably go again next time I am in the area.

Kaitlyn (I think that was her name…) took time to answer our questions and gave us clear instructions about when to watch our heads, when to step to the side, and how the waterfall light show would work. Overall, we really enjoyed this. My only concern was the large group size; we only got a few seconds right at the front of the waterfall because our group was so large. We would come back for other tours!

Ruby Falls was absolutely amazing. The guide did an excellent job making the whole tour fun and informative. The waterfall itself took our breath away, and the kids kept saying, “This is magnificent!” We loved every minute of it and can’t wait to come back. Definitely a must do if you are anywhere near the area.

Best way to describe Ruby Falls is like a smaller version of Mammoth Cave National Park. Other than an occasional tight squeeze and low overhangs, the path is paved. Senior participants might still want to considerate Gentle Tour option. The roundtrip mile tour is not as arduous as Mammoth Cave. Its as visually stimulating with plenty of geologic surprises. The lights enhance the waterfall. Its pretty amazing to realize that at the Waterfall, you are 1100 feet below Lookout Mountain. Perfect for families with children.

Unfortunately this has turned into a money pit. All they care about is getting the money. It’s a beautiful place but not worth the money. The tour is very quick and 40+ people in each tour with 6 tours going each hour. It is mostly walking with no time to enjoy nature. Also no educational information except at the very beginning when they played a video in which we could barely see-kids couldn’t see. I have 2 seven year olds who had trouble keeping up especially on the way back and my short legs had trouble keeping up. It was less than 20 minutes back. There are way too many people in the caves at all times. We had to cross at least 6 groups where it was so narrow my boob rubbed a guy-very awkward. He said he was sorry, but ultimately it was me!trying to get by him in the narrow space. I also scratched my arm/shoulder area trying to duck at the same time crossing another group, but not only is it tight in places but it’s short in places-I’m only 5.2 and had to duck. That’s fine but passing 40+ other people while going quick wasn’t fun.

My biggest complaint is the fact we were at the falls 4 minutes. With a group of 40+ people at the falls 4 minutes is not enough for people to be polite and wait for each other to take pictures. Yes we timed it because we were curious with how fast everything was moving. They turn the lights off where you can’t see at the mark for us to leave. I felt as though we were running late for something and being pushed along quickly.
The few minutes at the falls were beautiful but not as enjoyable with nature.

The walk was so quick could not take pictures and keep up with the line. They did not stop for formations or anything.

This was my and my husbands 3rd trip. We each went with our parents as kids. And we took our older 2 kids when they were younger. This time we took our 13 yr old son. We enjoyed it. The falls were really flowing this time. Beautiful light show. Our tour guide was very upbeat and knowledgeable.

It gets very cold inside the cavern. My daughter is 5 and was complaining about that. Also it’s not fun for little kids. It is beautiful

We've driven past Chattanooga on our way to Florida for several years and never stopped to see the sites on Lookout Mountain, so in July we made a trip to Florida, and on the way back, booked two nights in Chattanooga to see Ruby Falls and Rock City. Ruby Falls is definitely worth the time and low cost to see. Just be sure to wear good walking shoes and be able to handle the 1 hour plus walk through the cavern to see the spectacular Falls. Our guide was excellent and we're very glad we took the time to see it. Rock City was excellent too.

If you have claustrophobia or any fear of caves this is NOT for you. My husband and I went into Ruby Falls without really knowing what we were signing up for. I was under the impression it was an underground waterfall in an open cave that you could freely walk in and out of. When we bought our tickets we were given no information other than to go to a certain area when it was our scheduled time. We went and got into a glass front elevator after learning last minute that the tour is 2+ hours. The elevator plummeted hundreds of feet underground through a chute in a cave. My anxiety instantly swarmed me and once getting off the elevator we entered into a tight cave that instantly led to me being unable to breathe. I’m grateful that the staff immediately acknowledged my need to leave and led me back to the elevator to go back up to the surface with the next group. As we waited for the (only) elevator to come back down to take us back up the guide at the elevator area informed us if the elevator fails we should crawl several hundred feet out of a designated exit made in case of elevator failure. Very terrifying experience for me, luckily I made it out before a full blown panic attack. I strongly urge them to give a disclosure regarding the time of the tour and the fact it’s hundreds of feet underground in a very tight cave that takes hours to navigate.

We tried going here on a Saturday in July, only to find out when we tried booking tickets on our way there that they were sold out for the day. So, we made plans to go on Sunday, ordering our tickets a day in advance. It was about an hour through the cave to the falls, but it was worth it! The falls are beautiful and the music and lights were awesome. Regrettably we could only stay for 8 minutes since the next tour was coming along. The walk to the falls is pretty easy but tight on space, especially when groups are coming back from the falls, which about about three or four times on our journey. The cave experience has been updated with lighting and signs and te paves are smooth. I wish I would have heard more history on the tour, but I can look that up now at home. Pricing was reasonable as well. We spent about two hours at Ruby Falls above and below the surface.

Too many people and too many groups are sent down to maximize profits. We wasted so much time crammed up against cave walls to let people pass by us to go out and same thing when we came out passing by people waiting. The greed is ridiculous. I would never go again. The pictures are a scam as well. I was clearly told the pictures I purchased for $35 includes digital copies. That is a lie. Our guide gave us little information on the cave and seemed bored with her job. Don’t waste your money on this place.

Awesome place with a waterfall in a cave. Interesting history. Fast paced tour for sure. Good for all ages. Relatively easy to navigate.

This is a great tour! We did another cave tour that had an underground lake & that one was not good. This one is done very well, with the history of how it was discovered, become what it is today, etc. The tour guides were great, the entire facility is clean & well maintained. This was a girls trip & all enjoyed this attraction.

If you enjoy squeezing up against the cave wall to wait in line for 60 minutes (out of the 1hr.,20min. duration tour) 1,000 feet underground for the groups of 30+ people to pass by on their way to/from seeing the falls with a tour guide who seems utterly bored, then this might be for you. When we went almost thirty years ago, it was a touristy yet pleasant experience. Now, unfortunately, they have figured out how to make the most profit by packing the cave full of people standing in line waiting to see the falls for about 6min. Very disappointing. And then after standing in the semi-dark for an eternity, our gruff tour guide parked us in front of the "Tips Please" sign. Yeah, right! The whole tour could have been completed in 30-40min. but this stretched out too long with very little enjoyment. Maybe going midweek at first opening is better, but I don't know if I'd chance it.

My husband and I visited Ruby Falls about 20 years ago, and back then it was great. We took our 3 children, ages 14, 11, and 10, and they enjoyed it. The waterfall is breathtaking as it was 20 years ago. However, the tour has drastically and sadly changed. Going to the waterfall, we didn't get talked to alot, maybe twice. He played the videos and audio to tell the story. Coming back from the falls, I felt like we were in a marathon. He just told everyone we were headed back, and never once made sure everyone was with us. There were huge gaps, and several people made comments on how fast we were walking. We visited on 10/12/2023 and participated in the 7:30 tour. I hope not all tours are like this, and other people have a better experience. Maybe they were rushing to get the lantern tour started, which sounded very cool. However, due to the rushing of the tour, we will not be back.

We took our 9 year old grandson to Ruby Falls and he stated that he was really surprised how much fun he had. After riding the elevator down to the cave the walk is slightly more than 1/2 mile through the cave to reach the falls which are spectacular. The guides are informative and knowledgeable about Ruby Falls and the Cave.

We had an amazing time !!! Our tour guide Russell was amazing, we couldn’t ask for a better tour guide thank you #Russell’s renegades 🩷 (Tina wants waffles🤣. Florence y’all)

We visited Ruby falls as we had been in 2005 and enjoyed it so much. So on our holiday from the UK we were passing through Tennesse so decided to visit again. But this time it was a disaster, just far too many people in the group. It was all too rushed. We couldn't hear the guide,and spent loads of time stopping for leaving tour groups as they had priority. Sorry but we can't recommend a visit to this attraction. Don't waste your money.

First off, i will say the waterfall is absolutely beautiful with the accompanying light show. Unfortunately, other than that, the tour itself was a disappointment. The Tour was way too fast for its own good. It was very difficult to take pictures due to this. I understand there is a gentle walking tour for more picture opportunities, but that should not mean none for the regular tour minus the waterfall. There were a lot of named formations that the host never explained or mentioned that to the uninformed viewer, doesn't look like anything in particular. The host was nice but not very knowledgeable when questions were asked by the group.

Overall, I think Ruby Falls should work on the pacing of the normal tour. Not everybody is going to be able to do the early morning tour.

Haven’t been to ruby falls since I was 9. My wife and I both in our 60’s noticed the billboards and decided to go to the falls. It was a great experience and the fall at the end was well worth the walk. Shelby was such an amazing guide and she made the journey to the falls fun and enjoyable.

It went well with the tour guide. I will cocur with others the groups are so large you can't hear the guide. Only people close to the guide could take good pics. Others had to take a quick pic to keep the line moving. The good thing if you are ahead of schedule on your tickets then you may be able to join earlier. We showed up 30 minutes earlier and was able to move forward.

If you’re looking for a cave tour, go somewhere else that is an actual cave. Small parts of the tour are cave, but most of it is a dirty mine. It was completely planned as a tourist trap, IMO. If you’ve ever toured beautiful caves or caverns, that is not the experience of this tour. The waterfall is an underground stream that is in an area that they have mined away to make it look like more than it is by adding colored lighting. Most of the trail you walk along has been built up with mined rock and cement. I was disappointed and would recommend spending the time and money elsewhere.

We did the cave tour on a Tuesday at 10:10am. We had no problem getting the time we needed. Meet up is in the giftshop. Our group was Great, I think there was 19 of us. Our guide Bo was great as well. The walk was easy to through the cave. The cave was very interesting with lots to see. The water fall is awesome. Highly recommend this attraction.

Great way to escape the summer heat. Fascinating story about the cave and falls. Several stops on the way to the falls. Guides did a great job

I’m having a difficult time deciding whether or not this tour was worth it, but I’m leaning towards not at all. Yes the waterfall is nice to see, but that was the only good part of the tour. You get stuffed on an elevator then have to stand in a cramped room of the cave waiting for everyone to have their pictures taken. The tour group is WAY too large! If I’m paying $30 for a tour with a tour guide, I expect not to be so cramped and not even be able to hear a word the guide says.

You walk through the tour so fast, there’s no time to appreciate the cave itself and the passages are very cramped and you have to stop every 5-10minutes to allow another group of 40 people to walk by. If you go with a group that has a lot of kids, good luck. Parents do not make their children behave in public; so if you don’t enjoy kids literally bouncing off the cave walls and squealing and running into you and stepping on the back of your feet, this will be a miserable experience for you too.

We had a great tour guide, Skye, and the Falls was beautiful. Personally, I don't know if I'd do the tour again just because of the tight spaces in the cave, but it was definitely worth it once.

Beautiful building, the restaurant is very well organized for a big crowd. Involves a long walk thru the cave and cavern to get to the falls, most anyone could do it. At first you hear the falls, then you see the falls without much lighting, then the lights are turned on and it's beautiful and amazing.....and very high. Worth the trip, and the history of finding the falls many years ago is interesting.

Beautiful fall!s Worth the walk and tour:) Was a little annoying to have to wait for other groups to pass but but like I said .. worth it ! And we had no issues Parking… it was a Tuesday afternoon when we went

MUST SEE. What a great surprise stop this was. I HIGHLY recommend this tour, if you are anywhere near Chattanooga. Amazing falls INSIDE a cave. No where else in the USA. Maybe in the whole world. Great tour, easy for most anyone. I even saw a woman with a walker in the cave. HIGHLY recommend.

Saw this place on FB and decided to visit. The place is amazing! Plenty of parking a short distance from the main building. They run the tours by groups, and the tour is paced by a guide who keeps it moving along. You do get a few minutes for photo opportunities at the falls itself as well as some interesting rock formations along the way. If your in the area definitely worth the trip.

This cave is amazing, waterfall is gorgeous. However, the tour was very frustrating. They rush you thru the narrow spaces without much commentary, most of the large group can't hear cuz they are so far back, most of our time was hugging the walls to let other groups pass, not much time for pictures. They aren't in it for the experience, just to peddle as many people thru as possible.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly, but I agree with others, your 1.5+ hr tour, your like a herd of cattle, pressed against the wall in and out in large groups waiting for other groups to go by. Once to the falls, the timers ticking. 10 minutes at most, lights out, time to go! It's quantity over quality.

It could have been better if the guide had a microphone so everyone in the group could hear the commentary. It was very frustrating to be near the back and know you were missing interesting information. Other guides had microphones so I don’t know why ours didn’t, but I would have given it 5 stars if I could have heard what was being said. We’ve been to Carlsbad Caverns which are really amazing, so I was a little worried this would seem lame in comparison. It is very different and worth a visit.

So overall the tour is great. It's about a mile round trip to the waterfall and back. The guides were knowledgeable and great the corny tour guide jokes. The cave is well lit and easy to walk through. The lightening affect on the falls are great and honestly the few videos/sound bites you watch/listen to are fine.

The main downside is this is a tourist destination and runs like one. Do not expect to spend 20 minutes enjoying the waterfall. You are on a schedule an they stick to it (which props to them I suppose because if I prebook a tour start time I do expect it to start then). I understand we were there during Spring Break for alot of the Midwest and East but I was not prepared for our tour to be a group of 30 and that we'd pass at least 5 other tours on the walk each with that number of people in it. I highly suggest trying for an early tour because it must get crazy busy during the summer. Also they do the annoying posed green scree photo thing (oh the waste on printed photos that are not purchased) be prepared for that.

Included in your ticket is also the overlook tower. Which is fine, views aren't quite as good as at Rock City or Point Park but still very nice. You do have to climb like two flights of stairs to the top though.

Overall it was a perfectly fine visit just remember it's a 100 year old tourist trap and it runs very efficiently as one.

We were pleasantly surprised by tour. The guide should and some color with personal or shared experiences. Falls were great, light show was so so

We had originally planned not to do any Lookout Mountain activities because everything I found online (or in TripAdvisor) made it sound extremely touristy and kitschy. We ended up at Ruby Falls because a friend recommended it and we happened to be passing through Chattanooga during a time when it was open and still had available tickets (~5:30 pm). While it is set up for tourists (you start and end the tour in a large gift shop, for instance), it wasn’t kitschy nor super touristy in any cutesy sort of ways. In addition to the cave tour, your ticket to Ruby Falls provides admittance to an overlook tower.

As far as the cave tour goes, let me start by saying the waterfall is beautiful and like nothing I’ve ever seen before. You drive up a mountain then take an elevator down into the mountain, walk through the caves, and arrive in a large open cavern. Across a small pond, the waterfall pours out of an opening in the rocks high above you. They light it up, so the water sparkles and shines, and you can clearly see both the falls and the opening where it originates. I personally didn’t think they needed the various colored lights they rotate through—the white light alone was perfect.

The cave itself was also beautiful, with lots of typical cave features to see (stalactites and stalagmites, cave bacon, etc). The tour is a guided one, so you have someone pointing out the various features and talking briefly about them. The main problem is that there are very few places for the entire group to stand in a cluster. We were strung out through a long corridor even when the guide was explaining various cave formations. This didn’t matter to me because I’ve been to multiple caves in my life, so I knew what I was looking for and what it was called and could just appreciate whatever the guide was talking about when my end of the line finally approached that location. For people who have never been to a cave before, Ruby Falls might not be the best first choice. At the very least, if you have never been to a cave before, do whatever you can to be near the front of the line. They do have pretty good signage for some of the features, but it would be better for a cave novice to be near the guide at the moment the signed area was being spoken about.

For those of you who have been in caves before, this was the warmest cave I’ve ever been in. People (me included) were peeling off layers during the hour-long visit.

Two things I didn’t appreciate about the tour. First, as seems to be the case with everywhere these days, there was also multimedia down in the cave—a short video, a short audio, music, etc. Personally, I think that sort of thing detracts from the cave itself. Second, four times during the hour long tour our group and another group had to pass by each other. Picture a group of about 30 people standing with their backs to one wall while another group of about 30 people walks down the other side of the 2 ½ foot walkway. Needless to say, a bit crowded, although they did have a clearly-explained protocol in place (inbound visitors pause to let the outbound ones pass by).

If you like unsafe, claustrophobic, underwhelming experiences... this is the one for you.!!!!
Basically you will spend the next hour and half hundreds of feet underground watching an infomercial and incredible long lines to walk about a half hour (mind you after 200 people had to skirt past you as they rubbed against you in the slender corridors. Led by arguably underpaid teenagers who have no clue what's going on. They have taken very little effort to preserve the cave and just cram as many people as possible to make as much money as possible. NO THANK YOU!!!

While I found the caves interesting and the waterfall amazing, the tour experience ruined it for me. Some “genius” figured out they can make a lot more money by shuffling through large groups of people every 10 minutes, so you are constantly held up in the cave waiting for others to pass by in the narrow confines. What would ordinarily be a 15 - 20 minute tour ends up being an hour and a half because of this idiotic method.

Was amazing. It was 110 degrees outside. cant tell you how refreshing it was to walk into cave. Just loved seeing everything and watching people realize how far down in the cove we went. 1100 ft from where the elevator dropped us at 220 ft.
The falls were beautiful!

super nice and my guide guy was super , unique experiency , we wish return any time , we enjoy a lot , was us first time inside of mountin

A great way to spend an hour or so. Our guide was wonderful, funny and kept us all informed. He was full of knowledge and funny too. The falls themselves are really good, nice how they appear. The drive up to the falls is good too.

My wife and I visited here on our US tour from the UK. The tour was really good and the waterfall was beautiful and the underground caverns.
The only part we didn't like was the end where your guide stood in front of a sign that said tipping is appreciated. They stood in front of it for 5 minutes talking, basically saying they expect a tip! This is one of the only places we didn't tip because it put us off.

Ruby Falls itself is Beautiful but the tour was too large with too many people. You couldn't hear what the guide was saying. Also people in the back of the tour were in distress and the guide was unaware. It took them forever to contact the surface to get medical help to the people in need. Intercom wasn't working, they had to go to the next "station" and got the office that didnt help, it was ridiculous. They need smaller groups and better trained employees on what to do in an emergency. Also standing around for 10 mins underground watching a movie was idiotic. There were handicap individuals that had a hard time standing around and hearing impaired people that couldn't understand the movie. A suggestion would be have an place to watch the movie prior to going down to the cave with seating and closed caption. Beautiful falls but the tour needs some safety measures in place, working equipment to contact the surface in an emergency and considerations in place for handicap individuals.

I don't want to spoil anything, but WOW! A MUST SEE! To think about Leo crawling for so long, and to finally stand and see this waterfall before him, gives me chills! Truly amazing!

Labor day weekend and lots of people. Took us 2 hrs to do the tour. Some interesting formations but lots of damage has been done over the years. The walk is easy however watch your head! The waterfall is highlighted with colored lights and music. It is lovely. Would have appreciated more history.

This was a very cool stop and very interesting to learn how it was discovered. The only thing that was a bummer was how fast you had to leave the waterfall, that was the main reason we were there and only had a few minutes by the falls.

It is a beautiful love story behind the falls, but a too crowded very long way to arrived there. the lights show is beautiful but I think is not worth it. Very expensive too

We have visited Ruby Falls twice in the past and it was always good. Our latest visit was awful. There are too many tours a day, they seem to be every 10 minutes, and there are too many people in each group, they have a maximum of 38 people per tour. Everything is rushed, it is basically a route march to the falls and back. There is no time to look at any of the cave formations, not time to take photos, and very little to no information given about the caves. We had two stops along the route to listen to an audio track which you couldn't hear unless you were at the front of the group. When we got to the falls we were given a maximum of 5 minutes there. With the amount of people in the group it was almost impossible to get a photo there, and in fact one party in our group did not get a photo at all as the lights were turned out before they were able to take their photo. It seems this tour is now all about making as much money as possible not about giving you a good experience. We were so dissatisfied that we asked for (and received) our money back. We will never visit Ruby Falls again.

The caves and tour was awesome. The waterfall and light show is breathtaking. Our son proposed to his girlfriend on vended knee in front of the waterfall!!!

I only selected a date because you have to. I went around 1962. There were no lights until you got to the attractions, only the guides flashlight. I assume the path was narrow to preserve the natural beauty in the cave. I enjoyed standing in the dark watching the tours coming out flashlight slowly come into view. When you are over 200 feet underground in solid rock with no light that is the darkest dark you will ever experience.

Going into the cavern was awesome. Our guide Russell did a great job explaining everything. Not suggested for families with small children or people with walking problems of any kind. If you do have children going with you, please keep them quiet when guide is talking it makes it so others cannot hear the information. Order tickets ahead online. Wish Chattanooga offered package deals.

Gentle walking to see interesting caves culminating with a view of a beautiful waterfall. Back story very interesting. The developers of this attraction did a fabulous job of hiding the electrical cabling needed to illuminate the cave on the walking path. Having a tour guide was good but because of the single file nature of the walk it was difficult to hear the narration over inconsiderate talkers in the large group. Smaller groups would have helped and next time we will try the Gentle Pace tour to see if it makes any difference.

Overall, I had an amazing experience me and my family loved Anthony. He was so helpful and answered all of our questions. She was so nice with the little ones he showed that he truly cared for every person in that group. Thank you so much Anthony for making our families vacation truly special.

Russell was our cave guide and he was amazing!! He was very funny and kept us very ingaged!! He has lots of knowledge about the cave, which was great! He made our experience wonderful!! If you get Russell, tell him the giraffes are safe!! They still have all four legs!!! Being a part of Russell's renegade was the best part of our trip!!!

We were visiting Chattanooga from the UK and Nashville, with high hopes. What a disappointment, unless we missed the best bits. We did visit Ruby Falls with expectation. Tours are every 10 mins. The whole way through it felt like we were waiting for other groups to pass. Commentary from the guide was limited no atmosphere. There is a drive further up which leads to great views in all directions.

Love this long established “tourist trap!” But a very nice and enjoyable and interesting one! Love the history of it, love the “names” of the rock formations which are perfect in each case. Especially liked the “steak and potatoes!”
If in the Chattanooga area you need for sure to “See Ruby Falls!”

Really enjoyed our tour of Ruby Falls. The tour guide was knowledgeable and funny. It was really neat at the falls, where you can hear it long before you can see it. Just imagine what it must have been like to discover it! Everything is timed, so you don't get a lot of time at the falls, so get your pictures quick! Overall, interesting tour and worth it.

The tour guide was informative and humorous. Staff I spoke with were kind. It was an amazing underground experience and temps weren't bad, you could wear a T-shirt. I would have loved more time at the falls but they have lots of tours coming through constantly. Falls was beautiful and able to be photographically captured well despite the lighting.

Sooo many years passed signs for Ruby Falls and thought how good can it be?!
It really lives up to hype! Loved entire tour but especially dramatic entrance to waterfall ‘cathedral’!! Great experience! My husband and I loved it!!

The experience is ok. But if I told you it looks fake nobody would believe me because it does. Looks like they just pump water down the ceiling. Investigate yourself and see if its worth $30 to go see pumped water falling from the ceiling. The cavern itself is so artificial and commercialized, nothing seemed authentic.

The walk there and back was steadily paced, taking and hour there and back, spending maybe seven minutes at the waterfall. The cave was dimly lit but never any difficult passage. I mainly write this review to commend our tour guide. We were so lucky to be grouped with Walt! He is informative and entertaining. I hope everyone has a wonderful trip. And don't forget your jackets!

We didn’t get to see the falls at all. We didn’t buy tickets online because we were traveling from Macon and had no idea when we would get there until we were around Atlanta. By that time, there were no tickets available online. We stopped at the falls anyway in case they hold tickets aside for people who don’t know about online sales. If they do, they were sold out. There was still a nice gift shop and cafe, plus beautiful views.

Took the 8am tour with very small group… done in 85 minutes. Interesting formations and tour guide informative. Falls was nice.. not spectacular. Walk was easy and guide was nog rushing through. Recommend early tour .. smaller groups are easier. Back on yhe road by 9:30a for drive further south.

It wasn't as interesting as it was famous.
Of course, this is my personal opinion, but we liked The Lost Sea Adventure.
Still, since it is a famous place in Chattanooga, it would be nice to experience it.
Since you pass through a narrow cave with a guide, you have to wait and move out of the way when there are many people.
The highlight always comes last.
The mysterious and magnificent cave waterfall of 45 meters was amazing.
But it only gives you about 5 minutes.
You have to take videos and photos quickly.

Very interesting place. If you like know more about Tennessee history. Also the caverns formation are very interesting.

Awesome experience! Loved the caves and the falls! I felt the price was reasonable, our guide was just ok, but the experience was worth it!

The tour of Ruby Falls were wonderful and beautiful. Tour guide, Jacob was great and entertaining with our small group of 10 people. Our 6 yr old grandson absolutely loved the tour and seeing the water fall. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was because we had breakfast in the Castle Cafe on site and for $33 we had a grill cheese sandwich, ham and cheese on croissant, blueberry muffin and 2 soft drinks. Definitely NOT WORTH IT. Bypass the Cafe and the tour of the falls are wonderful.

Nice easy walk, beautiful waterfall. Kids 6 7 and 10 loved it. The glass elevator was awesome allowing you to see the stone of the mountain as you decend. Definitely a must see.

I have been on several cave tours. They all cost around $25. However, this tour includes a big waterfall with technical optics.

I was reluctant to go but got seduced by the kind staff and lovely set up of this place that seems to be one of the rare places that can accommodate both elders (in their 80s), teenagers, young professionals in their 30s and babies all in one lovely place. I expected crass commercialism; i did not find it. Worth the cost.

This place is just beautiful of course the caves were spectacular you will love it there you won't be disappointed.....

Please save your money. I would not go here ever again or recommend it to anyone visiting TN. It’s overpriced and they pack you in like sardines. They don’t explain anything and you are apart of a larger group than when you start and they don’t explain that either. They tell you to go wait in the corner by a sign and then your group becomes bigger. You have to move where there is no place to move for the outbound groups come through. That also is not shared until a tour group is pushing through. For 30$ this is really not handled well at all. There are groups and groups of people of you are claustrophobic don’t go!!!!! Would love to be able to get a refund that’s how bad it was. There are much prettier falls than this one for free.

Once seen, but wouldn't recommend it. A long corridor system beautifully laid out which ends at an underground waterfall.
Lots of people in the tour and tours you encounter.
Pricey for a minute waterfall.

The cave and waterfall were amazing. Our big complaint is that they herd you like cattle. Our group was over 30, and the ones from the middle to the end never heard any of the guide's comments. The guide moved so fast that we had very little time to enjoy and look at all the beauty. At the falls, they turn the lights on for 5 minutes, and they expect all 30 – 40 persons to take turns and go to the front railing and take pictures. Then they turn off the lights that illuminate the falls and rush you out so the next group can come in. We were in the middle of the group, and the comments from everyone around us, was that it was too rushed and that they would not come back or recommend it. Our group, had a lady with a cane towards the back, the guide several times stopped to let her catch up, but as soon as she reached the group he would take off and she had no chance to rest like those in front, she was not too happy. My suggestion would be to have groups no more than 15 persons, so that they can stay together and hear the guide. But I guess that doing it that way would not bring enough revenue. Then to top it all, they had a sign at the exit reminding you to tip your guide.

Absolutely stunning! A must see. The guides are extremely knowledgeable, but the tour is soooooo rushed. We felt as we were running through the caves as we just wanted to observe. Then you only get 5 mins at the waterfall

Magical experience that resumes after 51 years! It's worth it!
A place where Brazilians don't usually go, away from the common place, but for those who like history and nature it's a must!

We had a great time. There a lot of unique experiences. We would recommend visiting to other friends and family. Especially, Rock City and Ruby Falls.

Great!, but crowded on a Saturday. Short time at the falls because so many people were waiting. It was really beautiful & backstory was interesting.

Do not drive your motorhome up the narrow mountain road.
We didn't know, not too. Wish signage would have indicated the cavern was on the top of a mountain. We would have gladly unhooked at a staging area and taken our tow.
We didn't even stop because parking turns were tight. Hope this helps others to avoid the experience we had.

Ruby Falls is a truly unique and beautiful attraction tucked inside Lookout Mountain. The underground cave is fascinating to walk through, and the waterfall itself is absolutely stunning—especially when they light it up with changing colors. It’s a memorable moment and definitely worth seeing.

That said, the tour felt a bit rushed. Our group was quite large, and there wasn't much time to pause for photos or fully take in the surroundings without feeling like we were in the way of the group behind us. The pace made it a little hard to enjoy the natural beauty at a relaxed pace.

The history of the cave and the discovery of the falls is really intriguing, and the guides do a nice job sharing that story. Overall, it's a great experience and one I’d still recommend—but if you're hoping for a quiet, reflective cave walk or lots of time to photograph the formations, just be aware that the tour moves quickly and space is limited.

Go to the bathroom first. There are signs that let you know there no restrooms available during the 90-minute tour. A quick elevator ride down, and several tour groups are going through the area at the same time, so occasionally you will have to pause while one passes. Once you get to the falls, it is beautiful. You get a few minutes to view and take photos. It is a comfortable 60 degrees.

We had an amazing time exploring Ruby Falls! Walking through the caves was such a fun and unique experience, and learning about how the falls were discovered added so much to the visit. The highlight was definitely the 90-foot underground waterfall—absolutely stunning, especially during the light show!

Our tour guide, Natalie, was exceptional—friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. The tour lasts about 1–2 hours depending on how busy it is, and right now the waterfall is extra powerful due to recent rains—making it the perfect time to go.

You get about 3–5 minutes at the waterfall to enjoy the view and take pictures. It’s about a 3-hour drive from Nashville, but totally worth it—especially if you’re already planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains. Highly recommend adding Ruby Falls to your itinerary!

BEWARE!!! The 'photo package' is a SCAM!!!
The falls and tour are great but when we went to purchase our photo 'package' and they gave me hard copies I told them I only wanted digital copies. They said fine and handed me a Photo Pass card and said that was how I could get them - then they charged me $30.
Now when I called them they tell me that I can only purchase the digital copies AT AN EXTRA COST and that if I want a refund I must return to the store - needless to say, like most visitors I don't live in Chattanooga and so I am out the $30 and do not even have access to digital copies that I wanted to send my family.
This is an incredibly unprofessional and misleading process to say the least and I hope this review will save others from being scammed out of digit photos they are old when paying $30.

Our. Visit was awesome. We had awesome. Tour guide boo the weather full was beautiful my husband took me to Ruby falls. For my birthday. The 13 of this month

This is a "do not miss in Chattanooga " especially if you like caves. Reservations are a must or be prepared to come back later in the day. Very well organized. You take an elevator down about 400'.
Then you walk about 1/2 mile on a narrow trail( paved) through rock and see various formations all led by a very informative guide. Not good for walking challenged. There were many young children who really were too young to appreciate the experience. Also not enough to keep them busy. At the end of the trail you get to a magnificent 100' waterfall. It is the highest underground waterfall in the USA. It was lighted with various colored lights.
It was well worth the walk. There were at least 20 people in each group and my only complaint is that you do not get a chance to spend time looking closely at formations along the way. Total time was about 2&1/2 hours. Free parking included.

The real attraction here is neither the cave nor the waterfall, but the tour guides. My tour guide, Lucas, really made this experience memorable! I really enjoyed his guidance much more than the cave or the waterfall themselves.

We did it! After living in the area of Ruby Falls for 18 years an opportunity popped up to go down there. My only other trip into a cave prepared for tourists was a dozen years ago passing through Virginia. The property is welcoming and laid out quite efficiently. Our visit was early in the morning which I highly recommend due to PARKING. I also highly recommend that you arrive in plenty of TIME to get refreshed in all of the ways that bodies need to be reset for an adventure. Once you take the elevator ride it is a challenge to get water and bathroom services for a little over an HOUR. All souls sensitive to close quarters with other humans should be advised to bring along an N95 face mask and a rosary. There are brief times during the half-mile trek to and from the falls you will pass very closely to other tour groups returning from the foot of the falls. Personal hygiene is not a high priority for some of your fellow guests. The tour begins with a short video of the HISTORY of Ruby Falls. It is a very CHARMING story that really puts your visit in its proper context. A great deal of work has been done to colorfully LIGHT the passageway from the elevator to the falls. There is some condensation along the passageway so you might get dripped on, but it is only natural in a cave that is still live in a few spots. When you arrive at the falls you will have a short time in a cavern about the size of a small CHAPEL with the falls as the vestibule. The changing lights paint a lovely picture. The volume of water is dependent upon recent rain totals so it is not the largest falls, but the formation of rock makes it a natural art installation. I do recommend the visit, but I would have benefited from reading the information that I now have affectionately passed to you.

If you are interested in the beauty of nature or geology you will be disappointed. Be prepared to packed bumper to bumper, watch tv screens. listen to audio recordings /music and watch a campy flashing coloured light show. I might have enjoyed this place decades ago. Unfortunately, the cavern has been defaced by the corporate entity that owns it for the sake of maximizing profits. I am surprised that state law actually allows it . there was a couple moments during the tour that I was able to actually experience the natural beauty of cavern, but for the most part, I just had to use my imagination. I realize that not everybody shares my opinion. Just sad to see such a natural wonder destroyed by people who think that the cave and the waterfall itself, isn't enough and needs all this extra stuff added to it. The adjoining buildings and property is very clean and pridefully maintained but it's just all about making money. The experience of having a tour guide actually lessened my enjoyment of the falls because I felt like I was on a Mexican spring break party bus.

This claustrophobic, cattle run, money churning, hot, rock dodging, fast paced, non informative path to ruby falls is not worth it.

The mediocre at best guide uses a “humorous” script to get you through the cave to then play video (on an tv screen) and audio which could’ve been done in the lobby. The guides have 0 knowledge of the cave and are just there to make you “laugh” or awkwardly cough during the silence.

They shove in large groups every 10 minutes so you’re constantly pushed to one side of the cave while another group is speed walking past you DODGING rocks so they don’t hit their head… Honestly surprised they don’t make you sign a waiver. That is an accident waiting to happen.

Caves are supposed to be cool in temperature and this place was hot. That’s how many bodies were down there at once.

Ultimately how fast the pace was is what ruined my experience. You would think the guide was trail running this. The pace was that fast. Once you get to the waterfall the colored lights (which degrade the falls) are on a timer so all 20-30 people are shoving their way in to snap a photo. Practically getting a group shot in with strangers.

It is sad because the place has potential but the greed is what will run it to the ground.

I am NEVER recommending this to anyone nor will I ever return.

0/10

We enjoyed our trip. We went slow enough to be able to enjoy all the intricacies of the cave. Chuck was our tour guide. He did a good job explaining and answering questions. It was cool inside but not too cool. I’m glad I had sturdy shoes! I was happy it was a lighted path. I wouldn’t do it without! The falls themselves were amazing! It amazes me that they can’t figure out where the water comes from! I’m glad to know some things are still a mystery! Definitely worth the visit! Only con was I wish we’d have had a little more time at the falls themselves after all the walking to get to them.

Great times had by all! 7 & 8 year olds were fascinated the beauty of the caves. Well organized on timely colorful tours. Staff was great!

Last hurrah for my 1 year anniversary and it's been about 20 years since I last been here and somethings have changed. I still absolutely love going and hearing the history. Choose your tour wisely becuase you may feel rushed if you do the normal tours. If you go at the 8am tour get there half an hour early and you can see the sunrise.

We had family recommended going to Ruby Falls while we were staying in the Chattanooga area. I love caves and caverns and have been to lots. But I am sad to say that I was very disappointed with Ruby Falls. There was so much hype leading up to the finale of seeing the falls that I just felt very let down. You literally walk a 1/2 mile in down a very narrow walkway into the cave frequently having to wait for the other tours that were ahead of us to pass us on their way out because the paths were so narrow that you couldn’t have people coming and going at the same time. The only real feature of this cave is the falls and the other items in the cave were being talked about on our way in and out by our guide because there was nothing else to fill our time walking to and from. We finally got in the room and the lights were turned on and they illuminated them in various colors and then we left after being in the room for 7 or 8 minutes.

This was an amazing experience! The guides were knowledgeable, the pictures were awesome. The story to start the trip is like a movie from IMAX. It was an overall amazing experience. If I went back I would do the gentle walking tour as I wanted more time to stop and enjoy the views.

Gwen was an amazing tour guide, interactive, knowledgeable, and made the experience wonderful. The journey to the falls was beautiful and the falls themselves, just stunning!

The cave has beautiful formations. Unfortunately, like everything else, they are all about getting your money and pushing you through. We were rushed through to a stopping point so other groups could pass. Sadly we were stopped four times. Each stop took longer than the time allowed to view the falls. Thankfully Rock City made up for my disappointment.

After a high mountain climb, Ruby Falls appeared. Nice gift shop placed prior to entrance. Elevator ride to the tour was enough to generate excitement. Tour guide provided interesting facts and allowed time to examine or ask questions. Children enjoyed the actual falls and their presentation. Good attraction if in Chattanooga.

I thought Ruby Falls was as good as advertised. The grounds are well maintained and the mixture of rock formations, greenery, paths, art and tourist amenities are balanced well. We did go on a weekday when it was far less crowded so there were times when we didn't see anyone else around us for several minutes. The staff were accommodating though I found the food prices high and just okay quality.

Ruby Falls was a super cool experience. Beautiful views and amazing rocks and falls. We enjoyed the spectacular view and the swing bridge. Definitely must do in Chattanooga.

It was a nightmare.
These greedy folks put so many people in the elevator that it broke Down
Leaving us 2
300 feet below the surface.
We were down there for five hours
I was so crowded folks were haveing panic attacks,
We paid 25 dollars a person to get get tortured.
We had to escape through another escape tunnel
I would not recommend this hell hole for anyone
We spent over 5 hours in that hell
When we did got out, we asked for our money back
These greedy people told us that we got a see a new tunnel no
One has seen before
They would not give our money back
If you value your life and your family s life
Don’t go to ruby falls
You may not live to tell about it

The falls are totally worth it and the cave is neat. I didn't find the cave itself to be too tight to cause claustrophobia. It is pretty much single file line though. However the cost is steep and the group sizes are so large that if you aren't right up front, you miss most of what the guide has to say. Once you get down you have to wait for multiple elevator trips of people to join your group. Same on the way out, we waited about 20 to 30 minutes just to get back on the elevator and come out. They pump people in every 10 minutes so you are passing other groups and have to cram against the walls to allow them to pass. It also feels like you are rushed through and have no time to really enjoy things without holding the entire group up. They take a picture of the family in the cave then want to hand it to you when you come up, already printed just to charge $35. In my opinion it should be included in the cost ESPECIALLY if they already printed it. It would just go in the trash otherwise which really bummed me out but I couldn't justify another $35 which is more than the ticket itself technically. I'm glad we got to experience it but we won't be back.

Everything was great..But $1 off for seniors is bit low..Something you should reconsider. I heard others with seniors not happy for the little discount offered..Sorry

Beautiful castle-like building, admission approx. 28.- per person. Fortunately we arrived 5 minutes before the tour and were able to start without waiting. The path to the waterfall itself is already adventurous and definitely worthwhile. The waterfall and the story behind it as well. Easy to find and Free PP.

The waterfall is underground in the cave.
You go down an elevator to get to Ruby Falls.
It is pretty and unique.
But the cave is underwhelming, feels touristy, felt crowned and expensive.
I wish they had not made this natural underground waterfall in a true cabe fell fake. The entire tour take 1 hour 20 minutes. Be sure to go to the bathroom before going way down into the earth.
I really tried to like this experience but the colored lights on a natural wonder just didn't work for me.

we had a great experience at Ruby Falls. We had a fun guide, Jason, who was informative and cool at the same time went with family, kids 12 and 6 yrs old they loved it too and it was not at all scary.

I truly enjoyed the cave tour. Inside the cave, it was quite warm, even though it was chilly outside. The staff were welcoming, and the food court was pleasant, though it was more crowded than I anticipated. I highly recommend it!

How disappointing, how disgusting! After seeing all the boasting advertising and driving several hundred miles, I wish we had stayed home to watch my tree grow!
The tours are SOOOO over crowded with people, you felt like you're part of a countless cattle herd all crammed together along a very narrow pathway. Several other huge groups passed in the opposite direction making it even more unsettling.
Our tour group was a long, single file line, and we were at the end of a 20-30 yard + lineup. Our tour guide was up front and you couldn't hear a thing he was saying about the features in the cave. That's not right!
After about a hour we finally reached the falls. How anticlimactic that was! You only had about 5 minutes and then were herded off. As a professional, my main objective was to take some really nice photos but that was impossible due to the overcrowding and short time constraints.
Of course Ruby Falls could care less in my opinion as this "cash cow" obviously tries to cram as many people into the cave tour as possible! How DISGUSTING!
Save yourself the time and money and stay home to watch your tree grow!

My husband and I had the most amazing time. We both have an adventurous exploritive. This was absolutely amazing! Our guide, Sam, was hilarious she definitely did an amazing job. I love the little tutorial and clips along the way.

It is a must visit place.. Thanks Tyler..! You are such a knowledgeable and engaging guide.. we enjoyed touring with you.

Beautiful route through a cave with a clear story. Finally, you come to a beautiful waterfall where a beautiful color game is played. Route is sometimes through narrow passages

Had a really great time. Beau, our tour guide, was fun and professional. Felt safe the whole time. He did a great job keeping the group together and checking in with the back to make sure they were still there. He even took a cool time lapsed picture for everyone while we were there. The waterfall was amazing! Would definitely recommend. My husband and I went today and had a really nice time.

My husband and I took my parents to Ruby Falls yesterday. The controlled time slots keep the cave from feeling overly cramped. Our tour guide was Russell, and he did a stellar job! He had vast knowledge of Ruby Falls and a charismatic nature, both made the tour extremely enjoyable! We've done many cave tours, but Ruby Falls was a unique experience.

Ruby Falls is a great cave tour. The waterfall was spectacular. Tour Guide Jacob was outstanding and very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend Ruby Falls to all.

Ruby Falls Cave just down the mountain from Rock City. We were pretty fatigued from walking what seemed like 10 miles (Worth it) at Rock City. When you enter the visitor center there is not a place to sit down until you get back to your car. No place to sit in the visitor center nor on the 1 mile awkward walk underground to the falls and back. I find this unconscionable. Ruby Falls gets an F- for this lack of hospitality. The falls were nice when you got there. Check it out.

Neat place, lots of interesting formations inside the cave. Waterfall was beautiful. Our guide started out great, but he gave up early on as about half the other people on the tour wouldn't shut up and just let him do his spiel. So that was a disappointment that we didn't have much guide interaction. Nothing on Ruby Falls part they could have done though, just inconsiderate people.

This was a highlight of our trip. Our guide, Jaden, did a marvelous job taking us through the cavern. He was knowledgeable and engaging. This is a must when visiting Chattanooga.

Fantastic tour! We had a great guide who was very knowledgeable about the cave and local history! The cave did get warm and muggy in places....don't expect 50 degrees. Dress in layers!

The falls inside of a cave is cool for sure. But they cram so many people into a tour group, it is ridiculous. You spend a third to half of the tour time pressing yourself up against the rocks to allow other huge groups to pass. The tour guide was so far down the narrow passageway that we couldn’t even hear him. The number of people on the tour, and numerous tours happening simultaneously really detracted from the whole experience. Go to Mammoth Caves in KY instead.

We had an incredible experience! We came to celebrate our anniversary and we went on the guided tour with Joshua who was incredible. He was very knowledgeable and was very personable. We would have tipped him if we had any cash on us because he definitely deserved a tip! He definitely helped make the experience more enjoyable!

I have seen the signs for years that say see Ruby Falls. Never knew what I was missing! It’s breath taking! We bought our tickets online and went at 8:30 am. The group was very small which was great. The walk was not that bad at all. I am extremely claustrophobic and didn’t feel any anxiety at all in the cave. So much history and I loved the story about who discovered it and how. I can’t even imagine his shock so see something so magnificent 260 ft under ground. We will be back and bring our grandkids. Our guide, Chuck, did an outstanding job!

We loved Ruby Falls! We had been several years back but as the ads say - like for its neighbor Rock City - SEE IT! Love the various formations that have been “named” perfectly - like the “ steak and potatoes!”And the “donkey!” Curious? “See Ruby Falls” then!
Falls are right impressive even with the man added special lighting effects. The ole discoverer fellow - it’s named for his wife - didn’t have that advantage!
Another “tourist trap” - again like its neighbor that is a “GREAT tourist trap!”
Highly recommend!

Fantastic experience! Thanks to our very knowledgeable and hilarious guide Taylor, we really enjoyed this amazing underground wonder.

Don’t expect just a ton of nature and etc it’s very commercial. That said it’s pretty neat. It .*is* a lot of walking and a tight squeeze at times. It’s cool in the cave, but I was sweating by the time we were done. All in all, takes about a little over an hour. Will I return? Probably not, but one of those things where I’m glad I did it once.

You know they say the attraction never meets the expectation of the photos...well, Ruby Falls is not that. I had a genuine "wow" moment at the falls. It was absolutely beautiful and well worth the trip! It is extremely tight quarters for my 6 foot, 205 frame, but doable! The place has a robust gift shop, and the elevator ride is fast. It was warm and humid in the cave, but it was like 35 or so degrees upstairs, so we were dressed for that. Of course, walking warms the body, too!

We enjoyed a Friday night lantern tour recently. When checking in, the cashier told us we were having the best tour guide. She was not wrong! Thomas is a gem! Full of history and punny jokes, Thomas is caring and personable. We thoroughly enjoyed our lantern tour and hope to be back again in the future!

I honestly wasn’t sure if we would enjoy it but the farther we went into the cavern the more interesting it became. The waterfall is very pretty!

My wife, daughters (20 and 17) and I visited Ruby Falls on July 2nd.

When buying your tickets, you are assigned a time. Upon arriving you will find there is considerable parking, although some of it is located relatively far from the entrance. On a hot day, this will be enough to work up a sweat! I would plan on arriving about 30 minutes before your assigned time to be sure you can get parked and into the building.

You enter the building in a gift shop, which is a little unusual IMO. There is an LED board that indicates which tour times can proceed to the "starting spot". There is a cafe on site, and if you arrive early and are hungry, waiting in the cafe would be an option. None of us ate, so I can't comment on the quality of the food.

The tour starts with a video depicting the discovery of the caves and falls. It's modestly entertaining, although a bit "cheesy". After than, you are taken in a elevator several hundred feet to start the hike to the falls.

The walk to the falls is a little over half a mile. The terrain is relatively good for a cave, as most of the walking path was actually excavated (the natural path to the falls would have involved crawling though 24" openings for several hundred yards at a time). With that being said, those with mobility issues and/or the elderly might find the walk challenging, and should think twice about this tour.

There are some interesting formations on the walk to the falls, but those that have experienced other caves will not be overly impressed with the formations as they are quite typical of most caving excursions.

When you arrive at the falls, they take you in as a group, and you have roughly 5 minutes to enjoy the scenery. The falls themselves are pretty amazing. Without being a "spoiler" for prospective guests, I won't go into great detail, but they do a VERY good job, and most will likely find the falls to be quite impressive.

After viewing the falls, you walk back to the elevators that took you down and the tour is over.

Your ticket to the falls also includes access to an overlook tower which gives nice views of Chattanooga. Those that are able to do stairs without issue should probably check this out! It isn't as picturesque as Point Park on Lookout Mountain, but it is nonetheless impressive in its own right.

The only thing that might be considered a negative of Ruby Falls is the price. My personal opinion is that the Falls are unique enough to be worth it, but if you could only do ONE thing near Chattanooga, there might be better choices especially for families with young children.

My husband and I finally took a tour of Ruby Falls after seeing the signs for the attraction along the highways for years. We were extremely disappointed in this very over-priced venue to say the least. The cave was crowded with people, with tours leaving approximately every 10 minutes. There were at least 30 people in our tour group alone, and we frequently had to stop and wait for a returning group to pass us. Our guide gave very little information about any of the formations we were seeing and what she did share was while standing at the head of the line, making it impossible to hear. The falls itself was spectacular, but lots of disappointment in the overall experience.

When finally getting to the falls, it was a joke. Tacky colored lights and loud muzak ruined the experience. It may have been a sight to see, but it felt like a kid's ride at Disneyland. We drove 2 hours from Nashville to see this and it was such a waste.

The tour guides were very knowledgeable about the history of Ruby Falls. The rock formations inside the cave and waterfall was beautiful. Definitely worth seeing

I was worried for the price that it was just a tourist attraction but it was so worth it. Felix who was amazing and funny brought us down an elevator 360 feet and through an amazing cavern to a 1120 waterfall. 100% worth it.

Perfect day trip from Atlanta - 2h drive on safe roads. If combined, Ruby Falls and Rock City Gardens, you will enjoy a very nice trip with families and friends.

We have been to Chattanooga many times but never visited Ruby Falls. We loved our visit. We also enjoyed listening to the story behind the falls. My children loved the whole experience. We tried to get a less busy time but it seems it’s always busy. The views of the waterfall were spectacular! We definitely agreed it was a best day ever.

We really enjoyed walking the rock trails and taking photos at the overlook. Very fun time. Enjoyed meal at Rock Grill and the peanut butter swirl fudge. Tickets are discounted if you purchase online.

This used to be a better. It seems the tours have gotten more rushed and more packed since we visited about 10 years ago. The groups are too large so if you are towards the back you spend most of the time just making sure you keep your with everyone. The cave and falls are beautiful, but because you are moving so fast you don’t really get to stop and see anything. If they would limit the groups to 20 people it would make a big difference. I did appreciate that our tour guide was kind, I just wish they would slow down a bit and limit the number of people in groups.

The place itself is great. Beautiful to visit.
But I definitely have a lot of complains about how it is organized and about people visiting it. First of all people were touching everything even though the tour guide asked them to not to, but the groups were larger and of course they can’t just watch everyone, and I had someone vaping right in front of me and someone else brought a baby and the baby of course was crying big part of the time, in a tiny space where it will sound even louder and you are stuck in the group.
Other than that, the tour guide was a nice guy and of course dropping jokes here and there trying to make things funny but I wish everything was more peaceful and enjoyable. I could hear some other tour guide speaking so loud as well from a different group that sounded too inconvenient. When you see nature you want to be able to look around and pay attention and feel in peace. The music and all the colors felt like I was at Disney world, on top of the tour guide that felt the same way. And they try too hard to be funny and in the end they just stand next to a sign that says “tips are appreciated”.
So not only all of that, you will be on a large group from 40-50 people. What could have been a 10-20min walk to see the falls turned into a 2h standing by the walls waiting for them to get more groups over the elevator and bringing downstairs and also we need to stand by the wall often waiting for the other groups to walk by. They really did waste too much time. Maybe they want to feel that your money you paid for was worth it by making it feel that it lasted longer?
My advice is skip the tour guide and get the tickets where you go on your own, at your own pace and get to look around without standing against the wall the whole time or waiting for 20min in the cave for them to get more people for the tour. (Btw I went at 12pm on a Tuesday, which should not be busy but it was)

We took the Ruby Falls nighttime lantern tour. Certainly a worthwhile thing to do. I was worried it would be a little touristy/cheesy, because we have taken several cave tours before, but we have taken them in countries, like Mexico and Nicaragua and Belize, where we are actually go into a cave with a guide, and you pay a few dollars to somebody and they bring you in (and it may or may not be the safest situation) and it is either somebody’s private property or a very off-the-beaten-path situation, often only accessible by boat and very remote.

This was not that type of tour!

So, we prepared ourselves for it to be highly touristy, since it was something that had been around for decades (I remember touring Ruby as a child). Our expectation was that the guide would be a little bit goofy, and that the experience would have a lot of displays and maybe be catered more for younger children. We were pleasantly surprised when this felt very much like an actual cave tour. Not cheesy at all. The guy had clearly done this… a lot… and he had his well-worn sayings and jokes that I'm sure he recycled over and over again. But the cave itself was fascinating. And the element of touring it at night with just our lanterns on added a little specialness to it. The lanterns were battery operated, and I thought those two would be a little silly, but they were lovely as well. There were two modes, a brighter mode, and a dimmer mode. We were in a larger group, which is what I feared, maybe 15 of us. But if we kept close to the guide, we could hear what he was saying. He stopped periodically to point out various formations. But this did not feel like the type of kid tours I took growing up as a child, that patiently explained stalactite versus a stalagmite. It was definitely geared toward an older audience, which we were, and he spent more time talking about the history of the cave, and the discovery of the cave than I thought he would. Which was actually really educational.

When we arrived at the Falls itself, it was really beautiful. They did a great job of hoisting a lantern to the top of the falls, and so that it lit it up, and then slowly bringing the lantern down so that it would illuminate the faces of the people standing near the falls, so we could get photos. And the guide took turns taking everybody’s photographs while he staged this. That was really delightful. He recognized the fact that most people did want their photos taken. And arranging a photo-op was really sweet. We spent a lot of time at the falls. I could not help wanting to swim!, Which I know we could not. In other countries, of course, you would be able to swim. Was it touristy? Yes? Just the sheer amount of people there made it touristy. And our guide (who clearly conducted many tours a day over many years) felt like he knew that he was supposed to do this for a tourist crowd. But overall, again, hearing about the history was really pleasant! A nice way to spend an evening!
4 out of 5 stars!

When we arrived we were told to wait at the roped area that a guide would come out to start the tour.A few minutes before our tour time we did just that.It put us first in line although that was not our intended goal.We kept up with our guide but the family behind us pushed around us and asked the guide if they could be infront when asked why he couldn't give a good reason but did offer to put us back in our original spot on the way back but damage was done shouldn't be allowed in first place very rude behavior.The tour is ruined by all the stopping to allow the opposite tours to go by which is half of the tour time.Won't go back.Won't recommend either.Live a couple hours away have many opportunities to recommend to tourists but won't.

The cave itself and the waterfall are awe-inspiring and beautiful. But this place is all about money. we spent 150.00 to take our family of 5 to the waterfall, we had to stop about 20 times throughout to let other groups pass. It felt really rushed and we didn’t have time to just stop and enjoy what we were seeing. Even at the waterfall, the light is on a timer so you have to move once it’s done. Too many people to the groups also. They make 12-15 people fit in a normal size elevator. As beautiful as it was, we will probably never go back. Then there are coins all in the water and grafiti where people write their names all over the cave. We even heard one of the other groups tour guides say to his group about our group “oh this is a slow group and that’s why we are having to wait so long”. It made me feel so uncomfortable Like I needed to speed up.

This tour of Ruby Falls was informative with amazing cave structures. If you have mobility issues or small children, you may wish to consider other options. There is a gentle walk that can be scheduled for those who want to take their time. There is also a bench tour available during the tour where you wait for another tour group to come along and you can join with them. If you are claustrophobic, be aware that much of the tour winds through narrow spaces. All in all, I found it to be very beautiful and enjoyable, just a bit fast-paced.

Tour definitely keeps you moving for the approximated 1.5 hours you are on the tour. Hard to get photos at times, due to the pace of the tour. I think the best fortune we ran into was having under 20 people in our group. Being in a large group would have been a slog and less enjoyable.

Worthwhile experience and was glad to make it part of our trip.

Ruby Falls was amazing!!! The Falls is breathtakingly beautiful!! The cave is one of the best we have toured. Russell our tour guide was incredible!! He was informative, educational and entertaining. A fantastic sense of humor!! Thoroughly enjoyed!!

It was too crowded. At several points we began feeling light-headed and dizzy because there's no ventilation inside these caves. I'm not really claustrophobic, but we were constantly stopping for groups to pass in the opposite direction inside these cave tunnels. The natural rock formations and waterfall were amazing. In the end, I'm happy I have seen it, but I would never do it again, unless there is a private tour option. I cannot even imagine how they would handle any time of emergency or evacuation.

We visited to see the underground falls which we haven't seen elsewhere. We have seen caverns at other locations and in comparison, this wasn't very impressive. The caverns were underwhelming with few distinctive features though the occasional colorful lights were helpful.
I forgot which tour we went on but most everything seemed to go in slow motion. The venue keeps people moving and the groups pass each other coming and going. The walkways are fairly narrow in some locations and we had to stop at least 2-3 times on our way to the falls and flatten our bodies against a wall to allow a prior group to exit. Of course, as we exited, incoming groups stopped and accommodated us as well. In total, we were surprised at how much time we spent waiting.
The best part of the tour was seeing the unique waterfall. Our time there was for several minutes during which they had some changing light colors and some music which allowed for a few photos.
Enjoy if you haven't seen anything like this. We recommend not taking infants or children in arms. The couple in front of us dutifully tried to comfort their surprisingly old kid who they ended up having to carry off and one and eventually, they gave up and joined a different tour group who was existing. The parents did their best to respect the tour and others while attending their child but it didn't work out.
Enjoy your tour. The facilities were fine.

We heard so much about this tour that we were very excited. However, we should have done more research as we did not realize it would be a total of one mile from beginning to end. Also, the stop at the falls was very brief and in our opinion, not really worth the long walk. We did appreciate the story behind the making of Ruby Falls

Amazing must see for nature lovers. You will be able to see cave formations and an underground waterfall. Its 650 ft below the lookout mountain. An absolute beauty and nature at its best.

If you like caves this one is nice and ends in a beautiful view of the falls. Our tour guide Abby did an excellent job she was always well versed and volume of voice was perfect. They take your picture when at the start of the cave for purchase at the end if desired.

This is one of those things that if you do it once, check it off, you won’t do it again. It was fun, a good morning spent, but the waterfall was less impressive than we had anticipated. Really didn’t like the mandatory photo-op at the beginning. They try to sell the photo at the end, with the waterfall photoshopped in the background. Well, we were moody about the mandatory photo, so no, I’m not buying a photo where I look grumpy because you made us take the photo.

Cave walk was fun. Waterfall was neat. They should REALLY have an age limit on this. We had a child - 3 or 4 on the tour that was wailing right at the beginning of the tour. Please don’t allow children of that age, maybe limit to 5-6 and older?

We loved this experience! Traveling under the ground in a cave is so amazing! So see the formations and the waterfall was unreal! We loved it so much! Only thing I would say is definitely book the first time slot that is open if not you may be waiting around for a lot of other groups to pass! I do feel like they kind of rush you through really quick but still a great experience!

Look up tourist trap and you’ll likely find a picture of this place. Wow. Drove all the way up the hill. Arrived at 1:30. Told I couldn’t get a ’tour ticket’ till 7:30. We can’t even go up to the highest point without buying a ticket. Read everything on their website carefully! Awful.

The entire Lookout Mountain and Ruby Falls area is beautiful. You'll want to pre-book your tour, they sell out. Wear sturdy shoes and pack your patience. The caves are very crowded with several tours happening simultaneously. Seeing the falls is an experience and worth it.

During our first ever trip to Chattanooga, one of the things on our bucket list was Ruby Falls. We had high expectations which were quickly dashed. It started by being crammed into an elevator with 15 other people and 2 guides. When we arrived at the bottom we had to wait for the remaining 25 people on our tour to ride down. While waiting, we observed at least 40 people waiting in line for their return elevator ride. We were then escorted down a way and had to wait again then watched a shirt informational movie. We then were told to “keep up” and not stop for pictures because it would cause the group to fall behind. As we were herded through the cavern, the only time we stopped was to cram against the wall to make room for a group leaving to pass. We did this multiple times. There were many signs pointing out formations, but we weren’t allowed to slow long enough to actually see and admire them. Once at the water fall, it was dark. The colored lights came on, but you only got a good look at the fall, when the clear light was on. We did get to spend about 10 minutes there and take some pictures, all 40 of us. The lights dimmed and the announcement was made to meet up with our guide. We then began the march to the elevator.
The waterfall was neat to see but the experience was absolutely not worth the time or money spent. Huge disappointment. We understood completely what he lady that passed us on the sidewalk when we arrived meant when she said, “I’m glad that’s over.”

Before reviewing the real experience of Ruby Falls, I will mention my concern for the sake of others. The door of the Ruby Falls cafe… Disturbing. It had racist drawings and “KKK” and the phrase “NLM” standing for “No lives matter” graffitied onto it. I don’t know how long it was there but it irked me and I started to question if I was welcomed by who lived in the outskirts of Tennessee…

Now, It’s a great experience if you love caves and the waterfall is beautiful. Although, me and the rest of the scheduled group could only see it for about 6 minutes so that the following scheduled group could come. I appreciate the consideration and understand several groups have to overlap but I wished it was slightly longer. Also on our way there, there were multiple times we had to step to the left or right in a cramped space for the previous group to make their way back. I didn’t mind but keep this into consideration if you’re slightly bigger. As of my tour guide, he was really funny and kind.

Additionally, be aware that Lookout Mountain and the Ruby Falls tour is separate. Lookout Mountain costs $30 per ticket.

I like the experience it was something interesting, I don’t recommend it for claustrophobic people, it was a long walk down there but the experience was worth it, the employees really pretty nice and funny and the place is really safe didn’t see any animal at all.

We were in Nashville for the CMA awards. We rented a car and took a day trip to Chattanooga so we could explore Ruby Falls and Lookout Mountain. You need to purchase tickets for both online and select a specific time. We didn’t have an issue getting same day tickets. Not sure how quickly they sell out during their busy season. Tickets for Ruby Falls are $25 for an adult, not sure about littles. Upon entering building, you get your ticket scanned and then into an elevator where you go down about 26 stories. The elevator moves pretty fast, I would guess you are in there about a minute. Once you enter the cave you along with everyone else in the group and your guide begin the walk to Ruby Falls. The caves are cool, everyone is taking pictures along the way. The caves are cool, damp and dark. Plan on being down there about 80-90 minutes. No restrooms in the cave. There are several tight spaces to navigate through. Once you enter the falls, you will spend about 2-3 minutes there, so snap your photos quickly.

You want to have a good tour ask for Walter. He was amazing interacting with everyone and having fun through our walk. Ruby falls is beautiful.

This is the most poorly organized and executed cave tour I have ever been on. There are groups that leave every 10 minutes and only one entry/exit. Had to stop to pass and let other groups pass in tight corridors. The groups are so large you can’t hear the guide nor pay attention to the landmarks. The end view was amazing but short to about 2 minutes before they shut the lights off.

We were pleasantly surprised with the quality of this attraction. The tour guide was personable and professional. The area was lovely on a mild fall day

We learned that the waterfall dried up many years ago due to the develop of the mountain. When you get to the waterfall room they turn the lights off and loud music comes on. The tour guide hits a button on the wall. That turns on a water pump on that creates the “waterfall”. So yes it is a commercial waterfall

What an absolute find. Not only can you see stalagmites and stalactites, but the waterfall is incredible. Our guide was a local lad and he was brilliant, There is a bit of a wait at certain places where you have to let other tours go past you and for the lift, but well worth the wait.

Falls were beautiful; However, prepare yourself to jammed in like cattle. Too many tours at once cause you to constantly wait and press yourself against a wall to let other groups go. Tour took almost 90 minutes and 75% of that was waiting for other groups.

We had a very nice tour guide named Kaia (apologies if I spelled incorrectly!). She was attentive and pleasant. Our group was on the smaller side which I appreciated. Especially going thru the tight spaces. I did recommend to her that they should offer a replica of what Leo had to climb/shimmy thru so that tourists could try it out as well to see how they would fare! It was such a neat experience overall.

Beautiful and magical cave experience. Very well run, great guides and an amazing natural wonder. Great for all ages.

Interesting walk to get to the falls. Our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. I found the colored lights somewhat cheesy; I would prefer to have just white light to illuminate the falls and cave.

Love this place! Easy walking. The names of the structures were spot on. Wonderful guides! Fun for my teens and myself. Recommend for all ages.

We spent a week in Chattanooga. Ruby Falls was one of the highlights of our trip. Very enjoyable. We would go back to see it again. Our tour guide Doug was great!!

Totally not worth it! We took the regular tour which there was 30 other people in our group they rush you through the cave while your dodging other large groups with tour guides telling you to get against the cave wall so they can get thru. Then when you get to ruby falls they allow 5 minutes then they make you leave.

This has to be one of our worst experiences. There are 60 people in each group. There is a tour every 10 minutes. People are herded into an elevator, 10 at a time, and everyone has to wait until the entire group of 60 comes down into the cavern.

Then you walk forever through the cavern, which has at best, a handful of interests along the way. While you’re walking, you have to stand to the side flat up against the wall of the cave while other groups come from the opposite direction. This happened 12 or more times.

When you finally get to the falls, you get barely 5 minutes to see it. With a group of 60, it takes time to work your way to the front to see the falls. The falls are spectacular, but the ordeal makes it not worth it. Crystal Palace is much better with groups of 10 and a much more intimate trip with colored lighting and small cave wildlife that the guide points out to the group.

Ruby Falls was supposed to be a little over an hour. It took well over two hours, and our next stop was a prepaid train ride in which there would have been plenty of time between the two experiences. The two events were separated by an hour and a half. But because Ruby’s was overly late to get us out, we missed the train ride by 5 minutes.

The entire experience is worth it. The guides are knowledgeable and friendly. The caves are beautiful and the falls are spectacular. The only negative in my opinion is how short you get to be in the falls area. It would be nice if you could have a little longer.

We had a fabulous time at Ruby Falls! The waterfall at the end is a spectacular site. I recommend this to anyone that loves waterfalls and caves. Our guide, Will, was so funny and full of jokes it really made the experience memorable. We will go back again when we are in the area! A must see when in the area of Lookout Mountain.

This was a good attraction. The water fall at the end is pretty. Our guide was trying a little too hard to be funny. We enjoyed the cave.

Get your tickets early! You cannot just walk up and buy tickets for close to that time. We arrived at 11:00 and the next tour to the falls started at 4:20. Thankfully our friends are Chattanooga natives so we drove to other areas and came back. Cash is accepted and they also have Kiosks. Tours of up to 40 people leave every 10 minutes. There is an elevator, and several areas that have a few stairs. This is not stroller or wheelchair accessible, but canes and walkers will be ok. They have accommodations- plans- for slow walkers. The Falls- especially after a lot of rain- are amazing! Super cool to be all the way in the front at first but the best videos we got of all of us were taken all the way in the back of the Falls Room. Easy to get everyone and the falls at the same time. Some of the tour guides will help you get the best shots! It was best to be up front with the guide. You miss a lot being in the back. You cant hear the guide back there. Once you get to the falls and start your return to the elevator, being up front is not important. Bathrooms clean, but there are not enough stalls.. Always a line! Gift shop good. Parking is a bear! Very tight. Very few Handicap spots. While there on Look out Mountain there are lots of things to do! Rock City, Point Park are both great. All staff were very friendly! They offer a Military Discount!

Loved touring ruby falls. Really amazing to see indoor waterfalls. Kids loved the tour. So glad we stopped and saw this!

We really enjoyed the visit and the staff did such a wonderful job getting all the groups in and out as well as doing the tour. Very well done however it’s extremely commercialized and not cheap . Good experience - nice waterfall at the end.

i loved this experience. tour guide ray was great! i felt like tomb raider in there. people were complaining during the tour i didn’t understand because it was very magical to me, i felt grateful to be there. i was afraid at the beginning and had to force myself to chill out because i was panicking and wanted to leave; glad i didnt leave.

Not worth what is being charged! Large group numbers squeezed in to narrow passes, makes for a VERY VERY disappointing experience. I HIGHLY recommend NOT going to this cave. We love caves, but the company operating this one has ruined the mystery and wonder of exploring this cave. Shame on them! Extremely loud and obnoxious. Also, there were MANY visitors leaving trash through the cave, touching and climbing on rock formations, shouting, and foul language. Tour guide did nothing. There is A LOT of required stopping to allow other groups (large groups) to squeeze by. This literally doubles the time to get through, and is not enjoyable at all.

had a great day...love the Cave Falls & David our guide ...felt amazing n the cave...60° ... it's hot hot outside LoL the souvenir shop is exactly what you'd expect

It’s a tourist trap. Very much created to make an attraction. Very commercial cavern. Very accessible and lots of parking nice staff. Pricy.

Buy tickets on-line and choose a time to enter. They take 38 people every 1/2 hour. Our tour guide was Taylor and he was very informative , personable and funny. You go down in an elevator 145 feet below ground and it is just under a mile of walking in the cave. It is 60 degrees in the cave with a wet path at times(we didn't need a jacket). There is a narrow path you walk on to the falls and there are formations along the way that your guide will explain. There is plenty of time once you get to the falls to take pictures. They have lights on the falls that change colors and once your time is up they turn the lights off and the falls are dark and you can only hear them.
There is a nice gift shop and cafe and you can climb a tower for views of Chattanooga. We were there about 1 1/2 hours. Plenty of parking.

We really enjoyed this tour our 11:40 tour on 10/16 with Hanna, it was done very well! Sweet as sugar, checking in on everyone as we went, had a nice personality, & enjoyed us as much as we enjoyed her. She had plenty of information as we walked through & a few light hearted jokes. The Elevator guys, where also fun & fantastic
The cave was very very narrow, dark but, that’s what made it fun! It would not work for those with a walker or wheels. (FYI) The only complaint was… there’s too many people down there.. we had to allow others to squeeze by to leave in narrow places a few times, it was too busy. If you are a large person it’ll be a little tricky trying to move out of the way. However they are busy trying to squeeze everyone in/out of the cave because they are popular. Maybe 1 or 2 less groups sold or a little more time between groups? I understand stand they want to get as many as they can & it added to my fun experience but, I’m not sure if others would like it. They do only allow 1 tour group in at a time in the room with the falls. We appreciated that, it was a magical experience in that room. What a neat place, we enjoyed seeing it & experiencing it thanks to our fantastic tour guide Hanna! Everyone should explore at least once if they easily can.

Before going, I thought that this might be a tourist trap. I was wrong. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the excursion. The walk in and out of the cave takes about one hour. Our guide talked extensively about the initial exploration of the cave and the geology. The owners of the cave have put a lot of work into making a suitable walk way with lighting for all the visitors to enjoy the cave. Ruby Falls deep underground were fascinating. And, we got a special bonus on our trip when the elevator to take us to the surface failed to work. We learned in 1974, a similar event occurred when 128 people were stuck 400 feet below ground for 18 hours. Rescuers had to dig an 1100 foot passage from the side of the mountain horizontally to rescue the tourists. On our visit, we had to use the escape passage to where waiting passenger vans took us back to the entrance. The staff seem quite versed in the drill, so I suspect that this is not an unusual occurrence. No one panicked, so we had great fun on this bonus excursion.

It was really not worth the money spent to me. You’re in a large group and the walk is very narrow. As you are going in and leaving, you have to move into an even tighter space to allow other tour groups to get by. You can’t hear your guide unless you are close to the front. Not that ours was very talkative anyway.

Beautiful way to end our vacation. Our guide was great! She even took pictures for us. Lots to see on walk through the caverns.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, before the Interstate Highway System made traveling from Chicago to Florida much easier, I recall motoring along U.S. Route 41 in Tennessee and seeing dozens of billboards with the words "See Rock City" and "See Ruby Falls" along the way. Located at 1720 Scenic Highway in Chattanooga, in historic Lookout Mountain, site of the "Battle Above the Clouds" during the Civil War in 1863, Ruby Falls is a series of underground cascading waterfalls totaling 145 feet. A staple of Chattanooga tourism since its discovery in 1928, it features many of the more well-known types of cave formations, including stalactites and stalagmites, columns, drapery and flowstone. Curiously, the cave has no natural openings. In the 1920s, Leo Lambert, a chemist and cave enthusiast, proposed to reopen the then closed Lookout Mountain Cave as a tourist attraction. In 1928, he began to drill through the limestone. In doing so, he discovered a small passageway about 18 inches high and four feet wide. Exploring the opening, Lambert discovered the formerly hidden Ruby Falls Cave and its waterfall. He named the falls after his wife. The falls are located at the end of the main passageway, in a large vertical shaft. The stream, 1,120 feet underground, is fed by rainwater and natural springs, collects in a pool in the cave floor and continues through the mountain until finally joining the Tennessee River at the base of Lookout Mountain. Ruby Falls, which was opened to the public in 1930 and was one of the first commercial caves to be outfitted with electric lights, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

It’s beautiful but you only get to see the waterfall for a minute and the majority is walking in a very large group. It’s $30+ per person which is way too much for what you get. You are also down there for almost 2 hours but it could be less than an hour and $15 and it would be much more reasonable. I wish we did something else.

Amazing! It's a fault line y'all! Largest underground waterfall! So amazing! Take pics, watch your step, and head! Remember you are UNDERGROUND in caves.

We embarked on the Cave Walk to Ruby Falls tour, our first visit to this fascinating destination. The tour was enjoyable, accompanied by an intriguing history. Our knowledgeable guide provided valuable insights. Our group was diverse, consisting of thirty-five people. We wisely booked our tour a month in advance. The gift shop offered reasonable prices on some items, though others were more expensive, as is typical for such shops. Adjacent to the cave, there’s a delightful café selling seasonal pastries and hot items. Although we didn’t dine there, it’s a convenient option. At the tour’s outset, a professional photo was taken, available for purchase at $35. Additionally, each guest receives a digital copy of the photo. As part of the admission, visitors can explore the Ruby Falls tower. Overall, I highly recommend this tour.

I took the time to drive to lookout mountain and tour Ruby Falls. Ruby Falls offers a spectacular view of an under ground water fall with a high of 250 feet. The view from lookout mountain is amazing.

The cave and waterfall I give 5 stars, but please for the love of all things holy don’t bring your screaming infant/babies on the tour.🙄 It makes it miserable for other paying patrons…. Can’t believe how many people I seen bringing that young of a child down into a cave…. I think it’s a liability and unsafe. Also got stuck down in the cave due to someone in a group ahead falling and getting injured. That delayed all of the tours behind us and they basically just started cramming everyone down as quickly as they could to keep on schedule…. My first time and my last time. It was not a pleasant experience.

We had a great time at ruby falls! Joshua, our tour guide, made it fun. He was super knowledgeable but kept everyone’s attention by making jokes. The waterfall was worth the walk.

This is a tourist trap. It was over an hour and a half. It could have been done in 15 minutes. Waiting underground in long lines pressed up against a wall. Tv, WiFi, and music have no place in nature. There are so many free waterfalls that are way better

We had such an awesome tour of ruby falls!! Chuck was amazing and answered all of our questions no matter how silly!! He constantly cut up with us and even let one of the kids in our group lead the tour and turn in the warning lights on the walk back!! We had an amazing experience and can’t wait to go back!!

I've been to a number of caves but none that has a waterfall as tall as this one. It's much farther underground than I expected and is not man-made which made it very interesting. I enjoyed the changing colors of the lights on the falls during a light show. In addition to the falls, there are other formations in the cave. We had enough time to take some photos. It seemed like the rest of our group of maybe 30 did too. Our guide was great as was the tour.

Too many people on each tour. Visitors on tour must constantly move to the side to let other tours squeeze by. Nothing included about cave formations, etc,

Walt was wonderful! Such a great and informative guide, plus the jokes were right up our street - thanks Walt for those!

Great experience, not a difficult walk and a great temperature inside.

Fabulous experience - thanks again from the Welsh gals!

BRUTALLY HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW — I have no complaints about the caverns and the waterfall itself, both are beautiful and a sight to marvel in the wonder in. However, THE ISSUE lies within the way the tours are set up and the way things are run, which AFFECTS YOUR VIEWING EXPERIENCE.

1. When you reserve a tour time, you’re actually going to go down with up to 38 people at once. That seems to be the maximum when booking online. However, it could be more than that, as tour times are set within ten minutes of one another. So add on to that. We booked a 10:40am time slot, and we ended up going down with the 10:30am crew as well. When we got to the bottom of the elevator, the were waiting at for us. There’s not enough time in those ten minute slots to have other groups going ahead, I guess? Or perhaps it has to do with the fact they want to just go ahead and shove “smaller” reserved groups with another one so they don’t have to have more “guides?” Either way: PACKED LIKE SARDINES. HEED THE WARNING.

2. After being packed like sardines, you’re shoved into a singular elevator with as much people as possible. You will be touching strangers with your buttocks, your chest, tummy, and whatever other body part they decide to squeeze against.

3. Getting into the caves, you’re stuck into a single file line, of course. No complaints about that. HOWEVER, when there’s potentially 38+ people within your little group, it gets messy. If you’re at the back, you can barely hear anything the guide is saying, if they are saying anything at all.

4. WARNING TWO: If you book the 26$ ‘walk to Ruby Falls’ package, you won’t get ANY INFORMATION ON THE CAVE OTHER THAN TWO PRERECORDED BITS INSIDE. The guide does nothing but tell you the rules and say a few witty comments. The first bit of anything informational is two TV screens with a semi-informative video about how the caves were found, but it’s framed like a commercial. Trying to get you hyped rather than feed you important info. The second one is quite literally a pre-recorded audio played over the speakers that’s it.

5. Because there’s nothing informational whatsoever, that also means there’s NO TIME TO STOP AND LOOK AT ANY FORMATIONS. IT IS AN HOUR LONG SPEED WALK TO THE FALLS. The guide is just there to make sure you don’t do anything stupid, I guess. Otherwise, there’s no point in them being there. They don’t do anything but rush you through the pathway. And if you do stop to take photos or anything, you risk being COMPLETELY LEFT BEHIND and rushing to catch up with the rest of your group.

6. THE FALLS — seeing the waterfall itself is TIMED. You probably get five minutes MAXIMUM TO LOOK AT IT. The room is completely pitch black to where you CANNOT see it until they do their little light show, and after the five minutes is up, no more falls, turn back. Because of this, if you’re at the back of the group, YOU WILL NOT GET ANY PHOTOS WITH THE FALLS AT ALL. We were lucky and ended up managing to squeeze a few in, but a few at the very back of our group weren’t so lucky. Especially when you have larger families wanting to take 20 different variations of one photo. (No shade, just a fact.) The waterfall IS very beautiful though, it honestly felt like a rush of adrenaline seeing it for the first time, but with the time limit, it’s like taking candy from baby. Luckily, you see the same stuff on the way out so if you miss something, you’ll see it again, but you’ll also be RUSHED out while passing other groups headed in. We passed four groups on the way back out, us squeezed on one side and them on another. Barely any room to pass. SARDINES. Crazy.

TLDR: It’s a VERY rushed, uncomfortable experience and you don’t learn anything worth noting. We left googling questions about the discovery of the caverns. The falls and the rock formations are very beautiful and luckily, make the trip somewhat redeemable. Heed this one with caution folks. It’s very much greedy tourist trap vibes, trying to turn and burn as many people as the can through the caves. That aside: cool waterfall. IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ANYTHING AT ALL, you need to speed 50$ a person on the gentle walking tour.

This tour would have been more enjoyable if you were actually allowed to stop and enjoy the beauty of the cave itself. Unfortunately, the only time you stop on the tour is if another group of 40+ people has to pass, and the ten minutes you get at the actual falls themselves. Yes, your group will consist of that many people. Our tour guide was great, but not because of any history told, just her slapstick jokes. Imagine Disney’s Jungle Cruise… But let me go back to the not stopping part. You are not allowed to stop walking to take a picture of the natural wonders of this cave. You can try to get one as you briskly walk by but good luck. This is straight up just a commercialized tourist trap with groups of 40+ people being ushered in every ten minutes or so. The falls themselves are pretty with the light show, but again, commercialized. It would have been beautiful without the show and music. The falls themselves are kind of fake. The water is pumped through a hose when there isn’t enough water flow from lack of weather. I personally would not pay that much money to see this unless you could stop and enjoy it, and there was actual history being told. I only paid $2 on a special discovery day deal.

Awesome place. A must see. Our guide was funny and knowledgeable. Falls were fantastic worth the $$

Had visited 10 years ago and the Falls and whole experience was amazing. We came to Nashville with a large group of friends, specifically rented cars to drive 2 hours to get here and the whole place has become commercialized, impersonal. They pack 30+ people into groups and tours are every 10 minutes. It feels like a cattle car and a bad Disney ride where you have to hurry up and wait. We were all disappointed in the experience. The half mile walk to the falls was a brisk fast pace where you only stopped to squish yourself against the rocks to let the other 5 tours ahead of you by. At the falls they give you less than 5 minutes to take pictures and can't even enjoy the falls because there are so many people in the way before they turn out the lights and you have to turn back. The guide was rude and annoyed by questions. Overall horrible experience and sad this amazing tour be turned into an overpriced money trap. Do better! Will not ever be coming back

This is a very cool adventure underground! It's not just a 10 minute look and leave. Nope you go way back there deep underground after a neat elevator ride down. This is a very popular experience so do your homework and plan. You can look at the web site and check availability times and tickets. They go down in small groups with a guide so everything is on a schedule. Can be sold out so look ahead of time and plan accordingly.

The caves are beautiful and the lighting adds such a nice effect. The waterfall itself is magical. The tours are back to back so you can always find a tour to make.

It was neat. We showed up on a Thursday expecting to purchase tickets on site, and we quickly discovered that you have to make reservations in advance. The earliest time we could reserve was 3.5 hours later. Major bummer. We had to come back.
Once you are in the cave, a tour guide leads the big group for quite a while. When you make it to the falls, they turn on the lights for about 8 minutes so you can see it, then lights go off and you walk back. There are some stairs, not a lot. There is slight bending, especially if you are tall. An older couple in our tour group held up the back half of the group because they were slow. The walk to the falls felt rushed. It was hard to see the formations because you were trying to keep up with the group. I prefer the ride-through cave in Missouri (Fantastic Caverns) because you can sit and be driven through the cave while you look around, as opposed to watching your head and where to step.

This place is something you do once to say you have done it. We took our 5 year old and he enjoyed the wall to the fall but the walk back he got board and was over it so I wouldn’t recommend it for young kids. Our tour guide was funny and made a big attempt to keep everyone in the 30 person group entertained and engaged from start to finish. The actual falls is pretty lack luster but fun fact depending on how much rain they have gotten controls how big the fall is. So probably don’t visit during the dry season. Overall it’s worth checking it off the list but maybe wait till the kids are 7 or older.

It was a very beautiful waterfall!! Definitely worth the money!! And our tour guide ( think his name is Logan) was funny and knowledgeable!! My husband and I had a great time

Ruby Falls is a MUST stop when visiting Chattanooga. It is an outstanding experience from start to finish and I would highly recommend it to everyone.

Your tour group enters the cave via a 260' ride in a glass door elevator. It was the smoothest elevator ride I have ever taken. At the bottom you are given basic instructions about the cave and what you will see along the way to the falls. The walking surface in the cave is very smooth and level. Beware of low ceilings if you are a tall person.

This is a living cave and you will see many things expected within a cave. The temperatures are warmer than you would expect due to its location. Just before reaching the falls you can hear them off in the distance. The area just in front of the falls is kept rather dark and the tour guide uses a flashlight to direct the group where to stand. Once everyone is positioned the lights are turned up and the show begins. The falls are magnificent and the light show surrounding them makes them even more impressive.

Before leaving Ruby Falls climb to the top of Lookout Mountain Tower and Blue Heron Overlook for some nice views of Chattanooga and the Tennessee River.

This is a tour I would do again and again.

It was all spectacular and seeing the fall itself was breathtaking. The history behind the discovery of the fall itself was interesting. Since you see things twice, I took pictures on the first half of our walk and was able to take it all in on the second half. If you miss anything, you’ll see it all again.

When you enter the premises everything is well kept. Roadways, buildings, parking areas, everything about it is pristine. We had about 20 people in our 8:40 AM group and our guide was Emma. She was great and the tour was well done. I had heard about Ruby Falls for 60 years but had never been there so my wife and I decided to make this our last stop on a weeklong trip to the southeast and we were not disappointed.

It's ok. They seem to rush you thru pretty fast but they need to get people in and out. The groups are pretty large. If you have been in a cave before the only thing that separates this from any other is the waterfall. Other than that is meh.

While the cave and falls are pretty, the tours are entirely too large, about 40 people, and what was to take an hour took 1 hour 45 minutes of standing, waiting, and rushing. Lots of standing to the side to let outbound groups pass. It’s obvious it’s a money maker and not a leisurely tour.

Please do this cave tour! Ruby falls and the story that goes along with it was truly beautiful. Our tour guide Kaitlyn was fantastic and it’s such a beautiful way to see God’s beautiful creations.

First time visitors to Ruby Falls. We were traveling with my two children (10 and 4), and it was an enriching experience. Our guide was excellent and provided information beyond what you could tell was the general info all the guides share. We loved seeing all of the natural formations, and the falls were beautiful. Definitely a must see if you have not seen it before.

I went to Ruby Falls with the travel group. We first went down to the cavern by the elevator. Once this was done, we went to the observation decks. There are two levels of observation decks where you can see the views of Chattanooga. Inside the cavern, it is completely guided tours. The formations are just stunning. The entire visitor is about two to three hours.

Shelby was a great guide and the Falls themselves were worth the short trek through the cavern. My only issue is the speedy experience. While the overall time was more than an hour, I felt rushed walking through and didn't have a chance to just enjoy the path and get some photos.

I understand there are opportunities to do so other days of the week, and that the Falls are popular enough to warrant large groups. It just felt like we were being herded rather than guided at times.

Thanks to the staff for all they do.

2nd time visiting. Probably been 15 years since last visit. The pros…The walk to the falls is fun. The falls itself is amazing. The cafe area was a nice place to relax after. The gift shop is spacious and very nice. The castle tower view is awesome. The cons….squeezing so many people into the elevator for the ride up and down is unreal. We were packed like sardines. The walk to the falls itself is fun but several times along the way you are stopped to let other tours go by. The passageways are narrow and this is very awkward. The time spent at the falls is very limited. 5-7 minutes only. Our group was very large, 30-40 people, everyone wanting pictures, so time at the falls was very limited. Then whether you’re done or not, the lights go off and you’re escorted back out. This is nothing against the staff, but the attraction itself for wanting to make as much as possible every day. That’s what businesses do, get you in and out as quick as possible, not mad, just saying!

Worth seeing if you are in the area. Drove thru Chattanooga this was really the only thing I think worth seeing in the area. Glad it was off season so parking and lines not bad.

Stunning falls inside the caves and formations within the cave. However, (maybe it was just our guide) we felt very rushed and were not given time to really stop within the cavern to take photos and admire. Our guide didn't actually tell us anything about the cave either. It was automatic playing through a speaker.
We also thought the group was too big to really stay together.

My wife and I went to Ruby Falls on a rainy day. Our guide was very knowledgeable and fun. Her insights added to the attraction. No doubt this is a touristy thing to do, but we enjoyed it.

The biggest setback for us was not being able to see much from the tower because of the cloudy day.

The location and the shop are amazing and the staff are super friendly. I wasn't sure what to expect but was hopeful to see some amazing formations as I had visited other "cavern" type locations in other parts of the country.
Our tour guide was nice and our group was fairly small - roughly 20 folks as we went at 6:40pm tour time.
I have to admit although the whole cavern and discovery story are exciting there are only a handful of formations along the extremely narrow passages.
PROS:
The tour underground is prefaced with a super sweet video history of the love story that underlys the discovery of the Falls.
The limited number of formations are interesting to look at
The FALLS WERE SPECTACULAR! I've never seen a larger set of water falls than these and the light show was lovely even if very brief at only 7 minutes.

CONS:
The tour guides do not slow down to allow sufficient time to take photos of the formations and you have to constantly be on the lookout for the signs that indicate where they are and what they "resemble".
The incoming tour must "giveway" to the outbound tours which creates a traffic jam in an already narrow passage way.
The time at the waterfall was extremely brief and you have to hope you can make your way to the railing to get a photo before the end of the light show.
NOTE: the Falls area is nice and wide and allows for significant room to move around and catch photos from various angles.
We were "hurried" through down to the Falls and back out - there was so much more information that could have been shared throughout the tour.

Wear comfortable walking shoes and be patient - you'll have to keep a sharp eye out for the rocks and ledges and make sure to use the handrails in the wet areas.

In a nutshell, Leo fell in Love with Ruby. She moved to Chattanooga. He was on the lookout for an alternate way to enter the Lookout mountain cavern which was obstructed by the Railway.
He dug a hole 260 feet deep and removed enough limestone to build a castle. After 17 hours of crawling through the narrow passage, he found the Falls. He named them after his wife.

If you have time and want to see the Falls, this is a nice way to escape the heat. If you are looking for a cute love story with a fun backstory, this is definitely for you.

If you are the least bit claustrophobic - this tour is NOT for you. There are multiple passage areas that are barely wide enough to fit one person.

This is very kid friendly and is fascinating for those who are interested in spelunking and caverns and rock formations.

The onsite restaurant served snacks, drinks and pizzas but was closed by the time we made it back out of the caverns.

Love the story of how it was discovered. Amazing formations as you walk through. Disappointed that we were rushed. Even on the way back, another tour guide told us there is a casual walking tour if we wanted to go slower (sarcastic). Our tour guide spent so much time telling jokes that he never made sure we were together when he described things and it was hard to ask questions since he wouldnt stop to wait for all of us. Enjoy the beautiful formations all around you and the layers of ceilings on the way to the falls - they are beautiful The falls were no big deal. Recommend going if you are in the area.

Arriving at the falls cave was frustrating as the signage and directions as to where to park and walk was not clear. You enter and wait in a gift shop, or the restaurant. There is a tour evey 10 minutes with up to 50 people, which is CRAZY. Upon entering the cave they take your picture. Yet, they would not take separate pictures for our family, saying we don't want to waste time and take unnecessary pictures. What?! We spent the entire walk through the cave squished up against the walls letting other tours pass through the narrow walkway. We were near the end of our group and could not hear any descriptions or tour information. We were just driven through the cave and could not pause to look at any of the formations or waterways. JUST KEEP MOVING. When we got to the falls, I found them to be quite beautiful with the light changing on them. However, we could not get a picture of us at the falls, because everyone else was trying to do the same. On the way back through the cave we literally just pushed through and got out. No looking at anything at all. Then the tour guide expected a tip.
Oh, and the tour guide suggested to go see lookout point.
When you get out, you are again put through the gift shop where the first thing is "Do you want to buy your cave picture for $35?" When I said yes, I was asked for a tip. What?!
Then I bought a small gift for my granddaughter who turned 5 that day and again I was asked for a tip.
We walked outside looking for the "lookout point" to find out that it is a 5 mile drive up the road. Then when we drove up we found that there is NO LOOKOUT POINT. You can lookout over the road where there may be a break in the trees, or drive all the way out to Rock City.
All in all it was a tourist trap that just pushed you through a crowded cave like cattle and repeatedly asked for more money.

The falls are pretty. The walk to get there is quite long in a cave along a narrow trail. First you go down an elevator. Then you walk on a narrow path with a guide. There are some signs about the formations but not really much of an explanation. A short film tells the history of the cave. When we were there it was very crowded. We stopped 4 or 5 times to let a group of 30-40 people pass by returning from the falls. The walk to the falls is and out and back trail. You have 8 minutes at the falls to take pictures and observe. Walking back was pretty much continuous since the outbound guests have the right of way. I would not recommend this unless it was not crowded.

For a more comfortable cave tour in the region, keep in mind that the path isn't too physically demanding but does include some narrow passages, so it's best to avoid bringing strollers, wheelchairs, and consider not carrying babies over 6 months.

The visit to the falls will be brief, around 5 minutes, so be prepared to leave promptly afterward. It's essential to wear sturdy shoes as the cave interior can be slippery due to the living conditions.

Amazing place, with a waterfall inside a cave, with light and sound effects. The surroundings are very pleasant, including an ascension by funicular to take the folego!!!

Purchase tickets in advance! We tried to buy the day of and they were sold out. Some employees were rude and made us believe we wasted our time driving there, but fortunately an employee in the diner recommended we go up the road to Rock City, which was beautiful too!

We had visited before but it had been 27 yrs. It has changed ALOT. The tour guides are not very friendly nor do they tell you anything on the entire trip. They have signs now and you figure it out on your own! Very disappointing. The tour guides used to be so friendly and informative.

It was an amazing experience, but our group was definitely too large to be able to see everything and hear the guide. Due the size of our group. We were not able to see the fall very well and it took forever to get everyone down the elevator to start our tour. It definitely go early morning or one of the last slots at night.

Definitely a beautiful experience but I’m writing this to warn people with allergies to please wear a mask while going in because I sneezed the whole time after entering the cave. Would not recommend for people with claustrophobia.

Thought this was going to be one of our main/fave activities and were super disappointed. No one in the family was impressed (2 adults and 2 kids - 8 and 10). Felt like we were being herded through like cattle - the tour groups are huge. Spent most of our time pressed against the side of the cavern to let other groups pass by and very little time actually seeing anything. Only allowed about 5 minutes to look at the falls once you make it there. The tour guide just leads you there and videos play periodically.

We thoroughly loved this tour.

The sight of the spectacular Ruby Falls was well worth the admission price and I would recommend it to everyone.

That said, there were some issues that I think anyone going should be aware of:

Tickets are timed, so buy ahead online if you can - otherwise you may have to wait.

When we went tours were leaving every 10 minutes. This means that there are six groups sharing the walkways at any given time. This would not be a huge problem except for the fact that the groups were very large. We had more than 30 people in our group and one guide (who was lovely). We were lucky enough to be in the front of the group, but I am sure those at the back were unable to hear anything the guide said when we were moving, although there was an initial stop for a video and a second stop for a short anecdote for the entire group huddled together, as well as the timed stop at the Falls - just a few minutes, but plenty of time for photos and a short light & music show. It was gorgeous!

While making our way to and from the Falls, we stopped multiple times where we were instructed to stand against the wall to let other outgoing groups walk by or to wait until we were allowed to squeeze past a group coming in the other direction.

The entire tour took about 1.5 hours, with some tight, narrow, wet, and low areas throughout. The pace was casual and we were not rushed.

Although the Falls were spectacular, I felt that the whole experience could have benefited from smaller groups and a little more time to appreciate our surroundings.

Slow down and lower the limit of people in a group. I felt like I was running a marathon. There was no time to pause and actually enjoy the cave. The tour was moving so fast I couldn't watch where I was going at the same time as looking around. At one point in the middle, the guide paused. I told her there were alot of people behind me trying to catch up. She rudely responded, "I know I can count heads!"

When we got to the falls, I waited for my turn to move up front for pictures. By the time I got up front, she turned off the lights and said, we have to move on.

This was the thing I was looking forward to the most and was most disappointed and exhausted from trying to keep up!

My family loved coming here. This was the third time in my life coming but for my other family members it was a first time. We were all amazed. From start to finish we were in awe of the cave, the walk, the falls. Definitely a must do.

The cave was extremely overcrowded, we did a lot of standing around waiting, was supposed to be 1 hr and took 2. We didn't get to take our pic with the waterfall because by the time we pushed our way to the front, they switched off the lights so we would get out of the way for the next group. The cave is interesting, but it was a miserable experience overall. There are plenty of other caves and waterfalls around.

Spectacular cave with interesting sights including innumerable stalactites and stalagmites, a knowledgeable and funny tour guide, a wonderful story of how the falls were discovered and prepared for mass visits, and the spectacular Ruby Falls.

Dougie D. made this a very enjoyable journey and gave us plenty of time to take magnificent pictures of the Falls at the end. He has a unique way of combining humor with serious warnings when needed and uses our home towns to identify with us during the journey as he calls out to us to see how we're doing. We've been in several caves and this one wasn't a difficult one to navigate unless you fall into the category of either a very tall person or a very heavy person. There are several areas where the rocks are quite low and/or narrow, and I mean narrow. Thanks, Dougie D!

The views were great both from the lookout and inside the cavern. The falls were amazing and our tour guide was fun and energetic.

G-daughters and family loved zip line, rock climbing, Ruby Cave and multi-generational fun time. Safety first at all attractions with appropriate safety gear and instructions. Cave had beautiful rock formations and a gorgeous waterfall.

Well the Falls itself was quite unique, especially with the lights changing colors and worth seeing. But the cave was not as impressive. Yes the story of finding it and seeing where the original crawl way was and where it was expanded to allow people was interesting. But the typical cave formations were not too impressive. That, along with their walk in/out the same way and having groups have to pass each other along the way, really detracted from the experience. Also, I cannot believe they let people bring their dogs in there. None in our group, thankfully, but a group we passed. And it was NOT a seeing-eye dog or such.

It’s okay - we enjoyed it but it was not as good as rock city. May be we are little tired after visiting rock city garden, and it was a hot day.

The experience was beautiful. I like that they showed us a video prior to the tour explaining the history behind the cave. I did an “adults only” tour at 8am, which was the first tour of the day, so that was good. But it is quite rushed. you don’t really have any time to stop and look at anything. you need to take your pictures fast so that you can keep up with the group. When you approach the falls, it lights up so that you can see it, but you only have a couple of minutes before they shut the lights off & it’s time to head back.

Awesome experience! Paths were generally even and easy. Great guide. Definitely recommend the Gentle tour offered twice a wk at 7:45 a.m. Generally half the size group as regular and you have much more time for photos. Especially important for anyone with slower mobility or who prefers a smaller group experience.

This was a very nice trip into the heart of Lookout Mountain. I thought the entire complex was educational and gave a great deal of information about the history and discovery of Ruby Falls. But, what I didn't like was the overselling at the end of the tour. More than half the crown didn't care (including me) and were talking over the guide. Frankly, leave us with something more meaningful than selling more Ruby Falls tours, Zipline, etc. to us.

Great place, historic, amazing natural geologic wonder. I have been going to Ruby Falls for more than 60 years, childhood then again as a parent; now we go for fun.

My wife is Kenyan so this was her first visit, and was amazed as I was at age 6. The grounds and experience have greatly improved, it's better than ever.

I was so impressed with the free pet kennel, clean, secure, and pleasent. My dog made friends with his neighbor dogs.

Unfortunately the restaurant and bathrooms were closed due to a water main problem. It was a minor issue because a visit to a cave about 1,000 feet down, with a waterfall is pretty AMAZING!

Great for kids, Chattanooga definitely has some well maintained tourist attractions. Check it out

Felt like being hearded thru like cattle. Big groups passing each other on small areas. Water fall was okay tourist trap in my opinion

I would describe this as a once in a lifetime experience. As in you will only want to do it once. You sign up for a time. This is a guided tour. So that means you are going to be stuck with whatever pot luck people you end up with. Once you start the tour you are committed to a hour and a half. It isn’t 1 hour that is a lie. You load an elevator and go deep underground. You have to stay with your group the entire time. The tour will only be as fast as the NPCS will allow you to go. If you do it don’t go when you are tired or hungry. Only go when you have a bank full of patience for other people and their quirks. If your group is too quirky don’t get on that elevator.

Took the tour to the falls; absolutely amazing. They do turn off the lights after a period of time, so it’s nice if everyone “rotates” their turn at the falls. Takes about 90 mins to walk to the falls and back; elevator down to the cave. There are spots where it’s tight and low clearance.
Spencer was our guide and was knowledgeable about the cave and falls: there were times it was very difficult to hear what he was saying all the way in the back of the line.
Plenty of parking and a nice cafe on site.

Im on a 9 day road trip and this place was suggested to me to visit. Im glad I did. I purchesed tickets online. Arriving I found parking easily. I stopped at the cafe for a bagel and coffee while waiting for my tour time to start. The tour was amazing. I dont recall my guides name but she was very informative and kept the tour interesting. The waterfall is awesome. I look forward to returning with my children and grandchildren. Thank You for a wonderful time.

It's a decent attraction to visit. You'll get some good pics. When you actually make it to the fall, it's only a 5min or so view, you don't need more. I thought it would be several falls to see instead of just one. The info you get is good and the walk to the fall is different. Tall people beware!

I went not sure what to expect, but I found the story of Ruby Falls fascinating. I don’t know if there’s more information out there about the story of Ruby Falls than what they share on the tour, but I would love to know more. I am curious how they knew to dig down and how they knew how to continue digging. The Fall is magical in its own way… very beautiful.

0 stars. Drove 4 hours out of my way with my family.To find out, you have to purchase tickets online. Talk to staff and call customer service with no solution. Staff would not accept money. Ruby Falls still thinks it's covid 19 in 2025. Look online to purchase tickets at Ruby Fall's, and nothing was available until 7 PM. Arrived at 11 AM. That's from online and on the kios. There are not many customers there, and 5 top waiting on the cave tour. Worse experience ever. My kids were so disappointed to drive all the way there and couldn't participate. In anything. GM and board be aware.!

Russell was a great tour guide. Personable and knowledgeable. Only 60° all year round while in the cavern which was welcomed. In awe of the falls. Gorgeous. Easy walk but there are some short sets of stairs. 4/5 of a mile total. Slower paced.