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The parkway heads northward along Rte. 189, which returns you to Rte. 157 a few miles south of the Tennessee border. Once across the state line, the drive follows Rte. 210 to the scenic loop that passes Point Park -- a fitting climax to this journey along the length of Lookout Mountain. The ridge reaches its highest point here, cresting at 2,126 feet, and boasts a view to match, with vistas of the Tennessee River gliding slowly past the city of Chattanooga. On clear days you can also see portions of six other states: Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, and even Virginia. For a glimpse of the mountain's interior, visit Ruby Falls, a watery plume that splashes down through a cave located more than 1,000 feet underground. The hidden realm -- an elevator will whisk you there -- also claims among its charms several subterranean chambers that are bejeweled with onyx as well as with dripstone; when illuminated, the cave's walls shimmer with rainbow-like colors.
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