Natural history
Caves of Chattanooga
Larry E. Matthews · 2007
Speleologist's history of Chattanooga's caves, including the discovery and development of Ruby Falls cave.
United States · Appalachians, Tennessee
Ruby Falls
Hidden 260 metres below Lookout Mountain inside Ruby Falls Cave, this is the tallest and deepest underground waterfall commercially accessible in the United States, reached by elevator and a guided cavern walk. It was rediscovered by cavers in 1928 while searching for a way to reopen a larger, dried-up cave above it.
Tallest underground waterfall open to the public in the US Essentials guide
Checked September 2026 by David Bussell
Ruby Falls drops 44 metres (144 ft) on the underground stream. It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Chattanooga, with CHA the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
As a plunge waterfall, water leaves the rock entirely and falls free through the air.
What you can do here
Also good forPhotography
When to go
Underground and climate-controlled, accessible identically in any season.
Entry: Tour ticket ~$25-30 USD
Getting there
- Base town Chattanooga
- Airport CHA
- Country United States
- Region Appalachians, Tennessee, United States, North America
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Ruby Falls
United States
Height44 mWidth—
Most similar
Burgess Falls
United States
Height41 mWidth—
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in the United States too
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
41 m
44 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Burgess FallsRuby FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 22× taller than Ruby Falls. Victoria Falls is 2.5× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Ruby Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Ruby Falls
3:53
15:29
6:22
Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
Books worth packing
Moon Tennessee: With the Smoky MountainsMargaret Littman
Guidebook
Moon Tennessee: With the Smoky Mountains
Margaret Littman · 2023
Tennessee guide covering Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain, where Ruby Falls sits alongside Rock City and the Incline.
On the map
35.0122, -85.3383
Quick answers
Where is Ruby Falls?
Ruby Falls is in United States (Appalachians, Tennessee). The nearest base is Chattanooga and the closest airport is CHA. Its coordinates are 35.0122, -85.3383.
How tall is Ruby Falls?
Ruby Falls drops 44 metres (144 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall on the underground stream.
When is the best time to visit Ruby Falls?
Peak flow is January to December. Underground and climate-controlled, accessible identically in any season.
What can you do at Ruby Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: caving and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
How do you get to Ruby Falls?
The usual base is Chattanooga, and the closest airport is CHA. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there. Tour ticket ~$25-30 USD.
Nearby
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