Raccoon Mountain Caverns Tours: From Slow and Chill to Down and Dirty

Looking to explore caves in Chattanooga?  The Raccoon Mountain Caverns tours offer something for everyone from easygoing to highly adventurous. 

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Why take one of the Raccoon Mountain Caverns tours?

Tennessee holds the record for the state with the most caves at over 10,000 known caves within the state limits.  With over 7000 caves in the area, you’ll find more caverns in Chattanooga than anywhere else in the state. 

There are two locations that offer cave tours in Chattanooga, Raccoon Mountain Caverns, and Ruby Falls.  As someone who visited both I can say they are each very different and unique. Ruby Falls is mostly a long tunnel through a cave system which terminates at Ruby Falls, the underground waterfall.  The Raccoon Mountain Caverns tours follow a set path which navigates around the large central Crystal Palace cave. 

While you will see similar types of formations, the two tours are very distinct and different from one another. 

Crystal Palace Walking Tour

This is a 45-55 minute walking tour through the Crystal Palace caverns.  The walking portion is very short, most of the time is spent at the different stops along the tour.  

The Crystal Palace tour is perfect for anyone interested in learning more about caves and the different formations that grow over time. In under an hour, you can see and learn quite a bit about caves.

Wild Cave Expeditions

This tour is for the adventurous.  Typically you are meant to stay on the path, follow the group, and not touch anything.  Most of those rules are out the window with this tour.  

The Wild Cave Expedition allows small groups to crawl, shimmy, and climb through the cave chambers and corridors that are not available to the general public.  If you’ve ever wanted to try out spelunking, this is the tour for you.  

You will be going with an experienced guide, and all safety gear is provided.  There are however different requirements and restrictions on who is eligible to participate in this tour, so be sure to review those before booking. 

Highlights of the Crystal Palace Walking Tour

We were lucky to spend our tour with Devon, who started with a bit of the history of the cave and the land.  She made learning about the cave formations very easy to follow and understand.  

In fact, after this tour, I think I will finally remember the difference between a stalagmite and stalactite.  

How to remember: A stalagmite (with a G) touches the ground whereas a stalactite (with a C) touches the ceiling. 

The various cave formations are really the star of the show.  Although if you like creepy and crawly things, you’ll also see cave crickets (which look like spiders) and tiny cave salamanders.  

What to know before signing up for the Raccoon Mountain Caverns tours

If you are claustrophobic, these are not the tours for you.  While the main Crystal Palace cavern is open and spacious, many parts of the walking path are narrow or are very low in height.  There will be lots of small spaces and passthroughs on this tour. 

The Wild Caves tour will obviously be even worse as you will be crawling through small crevices in order to experience different caverns.  Also, with this tour you will want to make sure you are wearing clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. 

What to wear on the tour

For either of the Raccoon Mountain Caverns tours you’ll need to dress appropriately.  The cave sits at around 58 degrees F year-round, regardless of the season.  For the Wild Caves Expeditions, there’s a lot more moving around so lighter layers are fine.  But with the Crystal Palace tour I’d recommend a sweatshirt or lightweight jacket. 

Don’t forget to wear appropriate shoes.  You’ll want to wear sneakers here both due to the temperature and uneven ground in some areas of the cave.  There may also be some wet patches that come with cave condensation.  I always travel with my favorite waterproof sneakers so I never have to worry if my shoes get wet. 

Fun Fact: If you get hit with a drop of water it is called a “cave kiss” and considered good luck. 

Accessibility

The Raccoon Mountain Caverns tours are not accessible. Strollers, wheelchairs and other mobility devices are not allowed in the cave.  And due to the delicate nature of the cave ecosystem, service animals are not permitted either. 

Raccoon Mountain Caverns tickets

The Crystal Palace Walking Tour tickets are $29 for ages 12 and up, and $19 for kids ages 4-12. 

There are two Wild Cave tours available.  The 2 hour Canyon Crawl is $60 per person, available to ages 8 and up.  The 3.5 hour Waterfall Dome tour is $125 per person, available to ages ages 12 and up. 

How to get to Raccoon Mountain

Raccoon Mountain Caverns and Campground is located 15 minutes southwest of downtown Chattanooga.  There is free dedicated cave parking on site.

Considering being car free in Chattanooga?  You can get a rideshare for around $12-15 each way. 

If you are into camping, van life or have an RV, they also have campgrounds available. 

Crystal Palace Walking Tour Review 

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience on this tour.  I loved learning all the fun and quirky names or nicknames for the different cave formations, like soda straws and bacon.  It was the perfect mix of informative, entertaining and fast paced enough to keep my attention. 

If you’re someone that likes a mix of geology with a little bit of adventure, and looking to explore some caves in Chattanooga TN, then this is a great tour for you. 

Alternate Chattanooga Cave Tours 

As mentioned above, Ruby Falls is the other cave tour in Chattanooga.  Read more about the different Ruby Falls tours here. 

Other Chattanooga tours to check out

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