A Little History
Raccoon Mountain Caverns has been drawing curious visitors for nearly a century. In 1929, caver Leo Lambert (the same explorer who found nearby Ruby Falls) went looking for the source of cool air seeping from cracks at the base of the mountain, and discovered the cave system hidden behind it. It opened to the public in 1931 as “Tennessee Caverns.” Since then, explorers have mapped more than 5.5 miles of passages, including the Crystal Palace, believed to be the cave’s largest room. The caverns are even home to a cave spider found nowhere else on Earth.
Our Visit
Every great road trip needs a first stop. Ours was Raccoon Mountain Campground, tucked into the hills just outside Chattanooga, Tennessee. The truck was packed, and Lola had already claimed her co-pilot seat. The long haul from Florida to Yellowstone was officially underway! 🐾
Lunch with a View
Before settling in, I met up with my cousin for a quick bite at Massey’s Kitchen at the top of Lookout Mountain. The food was good and the company was even better. On top of that, the view made the first leg of the drive feel completely worth it.
Lola was in her element (We go out to eat a lot). She collected head scratches from everyone who passed by. Meanwhile, she waited (mostly) politely for one of us to drop food. And trust me, with the amount of Pizza that came, Lola had plenty of pepperoni & sausage!
Settling In at Raccoon Mountain Campground
The campground itself is big and well laid out. There are plenty of amenities, and you get great views around every corner. It also sits right next to Raccoon Mountain Caverns, so there’s a cave tour waiting if you have the time.
First, though, Lola gave the whole place a thorough inspection. With her nose to the ground during our walks, she sniffed every tree, picnic table and tire she could reach. Along the way, she also made a few new friends at the neighboring sites.
A Sky Full of Fireflies
The biggest surprise of the night was the fireflies. As the sun went down, the woods lit up with them. Honestly, I hadn’t seen fireflies back home in Florida in years! ✨
Lola was fascinated, too. She followed the little blinking lights with her head tilted, as if she were trying to figure out what on earth they were.
After that, the rest of the evening was gloriously uneventful. We took a couple of slow walks and saw a few more sights. Finally, we turned in early to rest up for the next leg of the journey west.
Next stop: Graham Cave State Park, Missouri →
Enjoying the adventures?
Buy my human a coffee for the long drives, or buy me a biscuit. 25% of your purchase goes to local rescues & shelters. — Lola 🐾
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