06/17/2026
The elevator at Ruby Falls has been a part of the cave adventures since the very beginning! ✨
Ruby Falls discoverer, Leo Lambert, learned about the rich history and folklore of Lookout Mountain Cave shortly after he married his high school sweetheart in 1916. Determined to open the cave to the public, Leo began a decade-long quest, researching methods to access the long-sealed cave. 📝
Leo Lambert put his plan in motion and construction of an elevator shaft descending 420 feet through the solid limestone forming Lookout Mountain began in 1928. 🪨 The elevator will give access to Lookout Mountain Cave. 🤩
Progress to reach Lookout Mountain Cave was slow. ⏰ Several weeks into the project and at a depth of 260-feet into the mountain, they hit a void in the rock and felt a rush of air escape through the mysterious opening. 🤔
Leo Lambert and a small group crawled through the dark chasm, unsure of what they would find. They returned 17-hours later after discovering flowing underground streams, incredible geological formations, and a plunging waterfall. Leo later named the waterfall and cavern, Ruby Falls! 🌟
In 1929, the elevator and elevator shaft was completed. The elevator remains a memorable part of the Ruby Fall experience to this day!
