A strange gust of cool air billowed from within Lookout Mountain—and led one explorer to discover a most coveted American natural treasure. Excavators felt the unexpected cool rush blow from the newly-drilled opening, and, curiosity piqued, Leo Lambert sought to track down the source of the mystery breeze.
During their 1928 Tennessee dig, Lambert embarked on a 17-hour spelunking expedition 1,120 feet deep under the mountain. There he observed a tall and majestic subterranean waterfall, which he named after his wife. This became Ruby Falls.
In 1929, Ruby Falls was turned into an attraction for the public. It is now the tallest and deepest underground waterfall open to the public in the United States, and visitors are still welcome to explore its majesty….