The Internet Convinced Me to Visit Raccoon Mountain Caverns. Here’s What Happened.
Before visiting Chattanooga, Raccoon Mountain Caverns wasn’t even on my radar. But the more I researched things to do, the more I noticed how fiercely loyal its fans seemed to be.
As someone who suffers from FOMO (fear of missing out), I did what any rational person would do and booked the Crystal Palace Tour to find out if the internet was right.
(And no, there aren’t any raccoons. I asked.)
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read the full privacy policy here.
Quick Answer: Is Raccoon Mountain Caverns Worth It?
Tour: Crystal Palace Walking Tour
Tour Type: Guided walking cave tour
Time Needed: About 1 hour 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy (expect frequent ducking and uneven surfaces)
Best For:
Not Ideal For:
My verdict: The Crystal Palace Tour is a technicolored subterranean adventure that gives caves and caverns a glow-up. Small groups, an educational focus, and formations that are hard to stop staring at make it worth adding to any Chattanooga itinerary.
What Is Raccoon Mountain Caverns?
Raccoon Mountain Caverns is located 15 minutes from downtown Chattanooga. Its cave system stretches more than five miles, and there are several different ways to explore it. On the adventurous end, you’ve got tours like the Canyon Crawl and Waterfall Dome Expedition, where spelunkers squeeze through tight passages and crawl through the cave. If that sounds like your idea of fun, more power to you.
I opted for the Crystal Palace Tour, which is the standard guided walking tour. It lasts about 45 minutes and you get to see some of the cavern’s most impressive formations. While you won’t be army-crawling through the cave, you’ll still need to do some occasional ducking along the way.
The Crystal Palace Tour From Start to Finish
Here’s what I experienced inside Raccoon Mountain Caverns’ Crystal Palace.
Check-In and Tour Start
Check-in is located inside the gift shop, which is either a genius move or a trap depending on your self-control. You give them the name on your reservation and that’s about it. I bought a raccoon shirt that said “feral” and I have no regrets.
I bought my tickets the day before, and because we arrived early, they offered to move us up to an earlier tour. That saved us about 30 minutes of standing around, so if you show up ahead of schedule, it’s worth asking.
My tour was on a Sunday morning and there were only seven people plus the guide in our group. Small groups are one of the things that makes this tour work.
Inside the Crystal Palace
If you were expecting a grand cave entrance, you won’t find it at Raccoon Mountain. An ordinary metal door is all that stands between you and the cave. Once you step inside, the cold air hits you immediately, so bring a jacket.
The name Crystal Palace always struck me as slightly off. I think Rainbow Palace would be more accurate. The colored lights illuminating the formations look like a magical, multicolored watercolor painting come to life. There’s also one part of the cave with a reflection pool that made me feel like I was in the Little Mermaid’s grotto. Unfortunately there wasn’t a dinglehopper or snarfblatt to be found.
While most people imagine caves being deep beneath the surface, Crystal Palace isn’t. In fact, you can actually see tree roots poking through the ceiling in some parts. Even so, you’re still navigating stairs and uneven surfaces rather than walking a flat path. There’s also a formation called The Guillotine, so take this as a warning to watch your head.
The Tour Guide
My guide was basically the Bill Nye of caves and somehow managed to make cave science interesting. Instead of simply pointing out formations, she explained how they formed, what made them unique, and why some were more rare than others. Along the route, we saw stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, and cave shields, one of the rarer formations found inside the cavern.
She also finally settled something that has been bothering me for years. Stalactite has a c, for ceiling. Stalagmite has a g, for ground. The more you know!
At one point, the guide turned off all the lights in the cave. We’re talking cannot see your hand in front of your face levels of darkness. And if you think your eyes will adjust, they won’t. I thought I was going to fall over even though I was standing completely still, so I closed my eyes to stop myself from spiraling. It’s one of those experiences that’s hard to describe until you’re standing in it.
The Critters
Nobody warned me about the residents. Raccoon Mountain Caverns is home to cave crickets on the ceiling, which look more like non-threatening mosquitos. And then there are the salamanders, which the cavern has an explicit disclaimer advising visitors not to lick them. I still have so many questions.
There’s also the Crystal Cavern Cave Spider, which is unique to this cave. It’s blind and non-threatening. Just knowing it existed was enough for me. And somewhere in there are Eastern Pipistrelle Bats. They’re loners who don’t hang out with other bats and apparently don’t hang out with visitors either.
The only critters I actually spotted were the cave crickets. The rest kept to themselves, and I was perfectly fine with that arrangement.
A Living Cave
My dad made an interesting observation during the tour: this cave felt noticeably wetter than Ruby Falls. Our guide described Ruby Falls as a “dead cave.” What she means is that even though Ruby Falls is still “growing” and developing through dripping water, there’s nothing living in there. Raccoon Mountain Caverns has its own ecosystem, has a lot less light and really has that natural, wet feeling that you associate with a cave.
Can’t Decide Between Raccoon Mountain Caverns and Ruby Falls?
I visited both during the same Chattanooga trip, and they offer very different experiences. Find out which one is right for you.
Tips for Visiting Raccoon Mountain Caverns
Book in advance. Tours run on a schedule and space is limited. Don’t show up assuming you’ll get a spot.
Arrive early. I bought my tickets the day before and showed up ahead of my scheduled tour time. They offered to move me up to an earlier slot, which saved about 30 minutes of waiting around. It’s worth asking when you check in.
Bring a jacket. The cave stays around 58 degrees year round. It feels refreshing when you first walk in, but after a while you’ll be glad you brought an extra layer.
Wear comfortable shoes. The pathways are uneven and you’ll be navigating stairs throughout the tour. Leave the sandals in the car.
Plan your day carefully if you’re also visiting Lookout Mountain attractions. Raccoon Mountain Caverns isn’t located on Lookout Mountain itself, so combining the two requires a bit more driving than you might expect. If you’re trying to fit everything into one trip, check out my guide to planning a day on Lookout Mountain.
A note on tickets. When purchasing online, you’ll be asked to provide the height and weight of everyone in your group. I did not see that coming, and I still don’t fully understand why. Just don’t be surprised when the form asks.
Is Raccoon Mountain Caverns Trash or Treasure?
How many caves does one person need to see while in Chattanooga? To quote Cady Heron in Mean Girls: the limit does not exist.
Raccoon Mountain Caverns doesn’t have the same name recognition as Ruby Falls, but the Crystal Palace Tour holds its own. Small groups, a guide who actually knows her stuff, and formations that are hard to stop staring at make this one worth carving out time for. Between the cave science, the lights-out demonstration, and a cavern that still feels alive, the Crystal Palace Tour ended up being one of my favorite experiences in Chattanooga.
Planning a Trip to Chattanooga?
There’s more to Chattanooga than caves. I’ve put together the best things to do, where to stay, and where to eat along the way.
Pin Now, Plan Later
Save this Raccoon Mountain Caverns pin for your Chattanooga trip!
