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Raccoon Mountain Caverns was discovered in 1929 by famed Chattanooga area cave explorer, Leo Lambert. He opened the cave for its first commercial tour seventy-eight years ago on June 28, 1931 in the midst of the Great Depression. Mr. Lambert originally named the cave the “Tennessee Caverns.” The name was later changed in the 1950’s to “Crystal City Caves” and then to “Crystal Caverns” in the 1960’s. The name was again changed in the late 1970’s to our present name, Raccoon Mountain Caverns, when the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) started to develop a hydroelectric facility several miles away.
Awards & Recognition
- Tennessee’s Highest Rated Cave / Rated #8 in the United States by Parade Magazine, June 23, 2002
- Chattanooga’s Top Outing, Fodor’s 2002 Travel Guide
- Featured in Tennessee Magazine, August 2002
- Featured on Turner South’s Three Day Weekend
- Featured in Birmingham Magazine, September 2010
- Featured in Southern Living, May 2011
- Featured on The Travel Channel show, “Off Limits,” June 2011
Staff
Our Cave Manager, Patty Perlaky, is a dedicated caver who holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology degree from The University of Pittsburgh. She has held this position since July of 1995. Patty also serves as the Region 9 Director for the National Cave Association (NCA). In her spare time, Patty is an active member of the Chattanooga - Hamilton County Cave & Cliff Rescue Team.
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