Historic and scenic Lookout Mountain is located in Hamilton County in Tennessee and is inside the Chattanooga city boundary. Lookout Mountain has just over 2000 residents but has a thriving tourism industry which brings travelers through to visit its various attractions. A 2 hour drive from Lookout Mountain will get you as far as Nashville and Knoxville as well as Atlanta. Chattanooga hotels are plenty and offer good base from which to visit the area attractions.
Temperatures on top of the mountain average about 7 to 10 degrees cooler than in the valley which can make quite a difference if only in a t-shirt and shorts. If going to Lookout Mountain to visit Ruby Falls it's good to know that Ruby Falls cave is weatherproof and stays at a comfortable 60 degrees all year long. When going to Ruby Falls make sure to wear comfortable footwear to walk the paths in.
Lookout Mountain Tennessee is comprised of three major
attractions which offer lots of things to do besides absorbing
the fantastic scenery. Ruby Falls is a wonder in itself
and tours down into the cave are quite popular. There
you'll find amazing stalagmite formations and Ruby
Falls which is magnificently lit up in all her glory.
Prices vary for tickets to the three attractions. Visitors
can buy tickets for all three attractions for a slightly
discounted price or separately for each attraction. The
attractions are all open year-round but have varying seasonal
hours and are all closed Christmas day.
Rock City is a massive and natural group of rock formations, great panoramic views and gardens with over 400 native plant species. The favorite at Rock City on Lookout Mountain Tennessee is the Enchanted Trail where visitors are taken along a beautiful woodland trail. Some other elements of rock City include Lover's Leap, 1,000 Ton Balanced Rock, Fat Man's Squeeze and Goblin's Underpass.
The Incline Railway is the third element of Lookout Mountain Tennessee and has been an attraction there since 1895. The Incline Railway at Lookout Mountain Tennessee climbs the historic mountain and provides breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and valleys and 3 to 4 cars depart every hour. The trolley-style railcars carry passengers along the 72.7% grade of the track making people feel as if they couldn't get any higher up.
Lookout Mountain cabins are dotted along the mountain
yet are quite conveniently located close to the city center.
Originally built from stone in 1924 the Chanticleer Inn
is newly renovated and offers five stone Lookout Mountain
cabins all with charming antiques and decor. Each cottage
has 1 to 4 rooms each and direct access to the main Inn
for meals as well as the outdoor pool and whirlpool. Tennessee
hiking in the area provides great views of the area.
Lookout Mountain cabins are slightly more difficult to secure then hotels or bed and breakfasts so book far in advance. The Garden Walk Inn is a fantastic alternative to Lookout Mountain cabins and affords guest a lot of privacy in their own stone cottage or a room inside the main inn. The stately inn has an outdoor breakfast area and pool and stunning gardens full of a variety of flowers and plants. Lookout Mountain cabins are a great pick over staying off the mountain in the city purely because of the peace and quiet and the glorious backdrop that greets guests every morning and all day long!
