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Be sure to see the Centennial Exhibits at the Incline Railway depicting more than 100 years of history!
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Beginning in 1928, Frieda Carter spent four years forging a path through the wilderness and among the rock formations with only a string to mark her trail. Garnet Carter introduced her unique gardens to the public as Rock City Gardens in 1932.!
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Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees visited Ruby Falls in 1931.
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The free observation deck at the Incline Railroad Lookout Mountain Station is the highest overlook on the mountain.
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1936 - Garnet Carter began his famous bar roof advertising campaign to lure vacationers from the highways. By the 1950's Clark Byers had painted "See Rock City" on 900 barn roofs from Michigan to Texas.
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In 1923, Leo Lambert, a local cave enthusiast, formed a corporation for the purpose of opening the historic Lookout Mountain Cave to the public. While exploring a newly discovered opening with his wife, Ruby, the underground falls were discovered and named in honor of his wife.
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Discover an intriguing natural wonder at Ruby Falls, one of Chattanooga's favorite attractions. The thundering 145 foot waterfall inside historic Lookout Mountain has been thrilling visitors since 1929.
| What You Can See | |
• America's deepest and highest underground waterfall (145 feet).
| | • Subterranean Forest that is home to thousands of rock and mineral formations.
| | • Lookout Mountain Tower offering panoramic views of Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley.
| | • Fun Forest play area for children.
| | • Mountainside deck for relaxing.
| | • Lookout Mountain Caverns is a National Landmark and is named to the National Register of Historic Places.
| | • Entrance building modeled after a 15th century Irish Castle.
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| Lookout Mountain is noted for its unusual geological phenomena. One of its unique features is Ruby Falls, an underground waterfall located deep inside the mountain. The fascinating story of the formation of Lookout Mountain and Ruby Falls is told by the rocks themselves.
About 200 million years ago, on an ancient sea bed, skeletons of small creatures accumulated forming layers of limestone. Successive layers of shale, sand, and pebbly sand were deposited on top of a limestone-type material and gradually these thick layers hardened. A powerful earthquake, or more likely a series of them, caused the layers of rock to bend or fold upwards. As the brittle layers of limestone and sandstone rose from the ocean floor, cracks or crevices occurred. It was along these cracks, which scientists call joints, that Ruby Falls was formed. Many of these joints can be seen along the roof and walls of the Lookout Mountain Caverns.
 | | America's largest underground waterfall, Ruby Falls | Ruby Falls is located in the limestone layer of the mountain. As the subterranean streams found their way through the crevices, the water dissolved the limestone and released an acid which aided in the formation of the cave. Lookout Mountain Caverns actually consists of two caves. The lower cave is about 50 feet above the level of the Tennessee River. The upper cave, containing Ruby Falls, lies directly above the original cave. Both were formed along the same fault line.
The formation of cave deposits (called speleothems) on the walls, floor and ceiling of the cave is a very slow process. The rate of growth varies from cave to cave; the average being one cubic inch every one hundred to one hundred fifty years. Some of the factors that can affect the growth of formations include:
1. The amount of ground water flowing through the cracks in the area.
2. The types of rock found in the cave.
3. The chemistry of the ground water and the rocks themselves.
4. The relative humidity of the cave, its temperature, its surface evaporation and the amount of air circulation.
 | | The entrance at Ruby Falls was designed after an Irish Castle | There are many different types of formations found in the Ruby Falls cave. The most common are stalactites, stalagmites, columns, drapes, and flowstone. These formations are caused by water containing minerals, such as calcium carbonate, dripping down from the ceiling. They range in size from the tiny helicitites found in the Hall of Dreams to the large column found in the Onyx Jungle. Rows of stalactites found on the ceiling are normally found along some joint or crevice in the limestone.
The truly amazing feature of the Lookout Mountain caves is not the many and varied formations which you see, but rather in the large vertical shaft at the end of the main passage. A flowing underground stream falls from the very top of this shaft 145 feet into a pool on the floor of the cave. The size of the waterfall depends on the amount of rainfall. Water from Ruby Falls flows back through the cave and then down another waterfall (which is inaccessible) and into the Tennessee River.
For more information, please visit www.rubyfalls.com
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Located atop Lookout Mountain, just 6 miles from downtown Chattanooga, Rock City is a true marvel of nature featuring massive ancient rock formations, gardens with over 400 native plant species, and breathtaking "See 7 States" panoramic views. Take an unforgettable journey along the Enchanted Trail where each step reveals natural beauty and wonders along the woodland path. Experience fairytale magic at Fairyland Caverns and Mother Goose Village. Gift shops and restaurant on site. Splendid year-round!
| What You Can See | |
• 60 to 90-minute self-guided walking tour along The Enchanted Trail that meanders through the 14-acre property
| | • Massive rock formations estimated to be 200 million years old.
| | • Gardens featuring more than 400 different species of native wildflowers, plants, shrubs and trees.
| | • Panoramic views of seven states from 1,700 feet above sea level
| | • View of Chattanooga Valley and Missionary Ridge Civil War battlefields
| | • White deer park
| | • 100-foot waterfall
| | • 1,000-ton balanced rock
| | • Swing-A-Long Bridge (ideal for pictures)
| | • Fairyland Caverns and Mother Goose Village, featuring displays of scenes from popular fairytales
| | • Carter Cliffs, original homestead of the Rock City Gardens
| | • Cornerstone Station - this replica of the former Fairyland Fire Station is complete with the original fire truck, local memorabilia and an old-fashioned soda fountain
| | • Retail/food areas including: Assorted gift merchants along The Enchanted Trail; Woodland Wonders, 75-seat Big Rock Grill, and The new Rock City Pavillion which features a special 7 States Menu. | More than seven decades of families have seen seven states from Rock City's high mountain view since 1932 when founders Garnet and Frieda Carter opened the 15-acre preserve of panoramic views and geologic formations to the public. Tourists from around the world have been drawn by painted barns, birdhouses and billboards - not to mention word-of-mouth - to See Rock City.
"Rock City is a piece of Americana that delights families today just as much as it did 70 years ago," said Bill Chapin, president of See Rock City, Inc., who is a third-generation descendant of founders Garnet and Frieda. "From Lover's Leap to Fat Man's squeeze, Rock City's charm  | | Lover's Leap. | is universal and is enjoyed by people of all ages. Grandparents bring their grandchildren to experience the wonder that they themselves remember from childhoods long ago." Just six miles from downtown Chattanooga, Tenn., Rock City is an enchanted, 4,100-foot walking trail showcasing lush gardens, caves and soaring rock formations estimated to be 200 million years old. A 100-foot waterfall cascades from Rock City down Lookout Mountain; a Swing-A-Long bridge spans nearly 200 feet and offers thrilling views to the adventurous souls who cross it. More than a half million people from all over the world visit this natural attraction each year.
Rock City Garden's grand opening was May 1932. Rock City's origins date a decade earlier, when Frieda Carter marked a trail that wrapped around the giant rock formations on her private Lookout Mountain estate. This area was already well-known to hikers and geologists throughout the 1800s. To complete the trail, Frieda collected approximately 400 different species of native wildflowers, plants, shrubs and trees and replanted them to create a spectacular exhibition that laid the foundation for the tourist attraction that Rock City is today.
 | | Fat Man's Squeeze | Her husband Garnet, a real estate developer and entrepreneur who also invented miniature golf, saw that Frieda had discovered something that others would travel to see as well and decided to open Rock City's gardens to the public. To draw attention to the attraction, Garnet launched an advertising campaign that Americans will never forget by hiring an assistant to paint farmers' barns throughout the South with the words "See Rock City." For more than 35 years, Clark Byers painted the Rock City slogan on barns, enticing travelers to take a trip to the mountaintop attraction. Although the practice was severely restricted in 1965 by federal regulations, more than 70 barns are still maintained and can be seen today on picturesque back roads throughout the region.
As Rock City moves into it's 75th year of operation, it has become a true American icon. Rock City's mission is to "Create Memories Worth Repeating." With its nostalgic history, as well as its continual expansion, Rock City has earned its reputation as a world-class destination and promises to be for generations to come.
 | Seven State's
Flag Court | Rock City is open daily for self-guided tours from 8:30 a.m. to 4pm (with extended hours by season). Other features include the original Fairyland community fire station - Cornerstone Station, the remodeled Big Rock Grill, assorted gift shops and the ever-popular Fairyland Caverns and Mother Goose Village. In addition to Rock City Gardens, See Rock City, Inc., also owns and operates the Battles for Chattanooga Electric Map & Museum and Grandview Conference Center on Lookout Mountain and Rock City's Enchanted Maize in Flintstone, Georgia.
For more information, visit www.seerockcity.com.
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The thrill of riding "America's Most Amazing Mile" has delighted guests for more than a century. As the Incline climbs historic Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga's surrounding mountains and valleys come alive as the trolley-style railcars carry you cloud high.
The breathtaking 72.7% grade of the track near the top gives the Incline the unique distinction of being the
steepest passenger railway in the world.
| What You Can See | |
• The steepest passenger railway in the world.
| | • Highest observation deck on Lookout Mountain.
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| | | Discover the charm of the St. Elmo Station. The free observation deck at the Lookout Mountain Station is the highest overlook on the mountain. Be sure to check out the Incline Centennial Exhibits. Depicting the history of one of Chattanooga's most unusual landmarks, the Centennial Exhibits feature rare photographs of today's Incline and points of interest on Lookout Mountain from the late 1800s to the present.
 | Candy Connection at the Incline Railway
| The Incline has something for everyone! Satisfy your sweet tooth at the Candy Connection and the super Snack Bar. Or, bring home novel souvenirs from the Gift Shops at both stations. Enjoy the Mile High Arcade on the Lookout Mountain station observation deck and hand-dipped confections from the Ice Cream Depot at the St. Elmo station.
And while you are traveling on the Incline, you will pass another Incline car on the single track. At the halfway point of the track, the two Incline cars pass along side each other. The "switch" allows the two cars to travel on a single track system. During this portion of the trip you will have an opportunity to look at the other car up close.
The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway. Something for Everyone!
For more information, visit our web site.
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| | | | | Lookout Mountain Attractions P. O. Box 2315, Chattanooga, TN 37409, 1-800-825-8366
info@lookoutmountain.com
© 2006 Lookout Mountain Attractions | | | | |
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