RUBY FALLS

Tennesse has its Grand Old Opry, its Elvis and the Smoky Mountains, but sometimes it’s the unexpected find that puts the stars in a traveler’s eyes. A bit claustrophobic, I’m not a cave person, never been much for visiting subterranean mines, but as part of a trip to Chattanooga, I checked out what I consider the jewel in the crown of that city.

Recently Chattanooga has reinvented itself. There’s been a great deal of hoopla over the new waterfront, with its superduper aquarium and its world-class art museum. The city’s palmy now, with a glamorous park and snazzy carousel, a top new hotel, a funky shopping street. There are water views, blue-painted bridges, riverboat rides.

Then, there’s Ruby Falls. About a three mile drive from the Tennessee River waterfront, (take Broad Street to Lookout Mountain) is a spectacular waterfall. It is so Niagara-like, that it’s hard to believe that it crashes not from a white-capped mountain, but from goodness-knows-where inside a dark and meandering–and slightly menacing–cave.

On the day I visited, the weather was fine, not that it mattered; in a cave it’s always cool, always night, a bit like your uncle’s wine cellar without the barrels. Along I nervously went, first into a stainless steel elevator going down, way down; stepping out, I would not have been surprised to encounter Barney Flintstone. On every side, there is rock in one form or shape or another: boulders, limestone walls, stalagmites (up) stalactites (down) and columns (when they meet in the middle). Ordinarily marching deep into a cavern for about half a mile might not be a fun way to spend a sunny afternoon, but even a somewhat hesitant spelunker like me did not want to miss the payoff. Strategic spotlights illuminate the surprise natural attractions on every side, which look almost as if they’ve been created by Disney. It’s not easy to get lost here, but just in case, I followed the guide, staying not far behind my sightseeing group.

Along the way there are little signs pointing out wacky rock formations. One resembles a row of breakfast bacon strips, another a dragon’s foot, yet another a beehive. I found myself scrunching between jutting rocks, maneuvering around craggy points and stepping over puddles. According to the guide, one visitor wanted to know, “Are there elephants down here?”

This was among the best of the crackpot tourists’ queries. My own biggest concern was of the probability of a rock slide, but apparently these boulders stay put, although some looked to me precariously balanced. We were assured there were emergency exits in case of some disaster, but so far there have not been any.

The guide had many anecdotes: A young man brought his girlfriend and prearranged having the lights doused as they reached the falls, then flash on again for the dramatic denouement. He would pop the question and produce a diamond ring. What the guide hadn’t expected was the reaction of the other members of the tour. Applause, yes, but unexpectedly, most burst into tears. Reactions apparently are unpredictable. On other occasions, on reaching the falls, some people have fallen to their knees in prayer.

But the most fascinating story was the one about the founder of Ruby Falls, a young Tenneseean who was a cavern enthusiast . Here was the temptation of Lookout Mountain Cave, originally a campsite for American Indians, later a hideout for outlaws, later still a Civil War Hospital. In 1905 the Southern Railway built a railroad tunnel through the edge of the mountain, sealing off the entrance.

Along came Leo Lambert, who formed a corporation for the purpose of reopening the cave to the public. Drilling began through the solid limestone rock, continued slowly until the eureka moment when a two by four feet opening was discovered. Lambert, then in his early thirties, pushed himself through this opening and crawled his way forward on hands and knees for seventeen hours until he came upon the spectacle of the 145- foot waterfall. He named it Ruby for his wife, and since 1929, millions of people have walked through the cave to gaze upon this natural phenomenon.

Coming upon the electrifying spectacle at the end of the winding cavern made any vestige of claustrophobia quietly vanish. It was not necessary to kneel or to pray, but simply to consider that nature can pull off one heck of a showstopper. The water crashes and thunders as if from heaven, steams up your glasses, stops your heart in its tracks. Ruby Falls rocks, and so did I.

—————————————————————————IF YOU GO: Where to stay: Upscale: The Chattanoogan –877-756-1684, Chattanooga Marriott–800-228-9290
Moderate: Chattanooga ChooChoo (Holiday Inn)– 800-TRACK-29
Budget Motel 6 Downtown–800-466-8356, Hampton Inn–800-HAMPTON
Restaurants: Fine dining: South Side Grill, Back Inn Café
Casual: Sticky Fingers (barbecue) Boathouse (waterfront seafood)
www.rubyfalls.com