Journeying Geographer: Day 45: Lookout Mountain

Lookout Mountain is a long ridge located on the Tennessee-Georgia-Alabama border. From the areas we visited today, it affords panoramic views of Chattanooga, the Tennessee River Valley, and the surrounding countryside in northwestern Georgia and southeastern Tennessee.

We visited two popular tourist attractions today. The first, Ruby Falls, is actually a 145 foot high waterfall located in a cavern deep within the mountain just outside of and overlooking Chattanooga. A one hour and 15 minute guided tour took us 260 feet down (by elevator) and then on a half mile walk to the waterfall.

The second, Rock City, is about five miles south in Georgia near the summit of Lookout Mountain. It is an incredible area of beautiful paths meandering through, over, and under the unique rock formations. Much of it reminded me of a combination of the Enchanted Forest in Salem and Petersen Rock Garden in Redmond, only on a much larger and more impressive scale. As a geographer, the views of the settlements and countryside from Lover's Leap were the most interesting, but all of it was captivating -- and very photogenic. From an economic standpoint, these attractions, along with the nearby Incline Railway, bring many visitors and their money to the Chattanooga area. Even on a Wednesday in mid-October, there were at least four large tour buses and plenty of cars in the parking lots. We had about three dozen people on our cavern tour, and we passed several other groups of equal size just in our time there. Admission fees for both attractions for myself, my wife, and our daughter came to just over $100 including tax, and we bought a few small items as well. Still, it was worth it to see sights that just don't exist in Oregon.