Tennessee
Nature|Caves & Rock Formations

The Bell Witch Cave Is One Of The Strangest Places You Can Go In Tennessee

The Bell Witch Cave in Adams, Tennessee, is a historic and haunted site linked to the famous Bell Witch legend.

Published Oct 31, 2020

Written by 

J.B. VanDyke

There is nowhere in the world quite like the Volunteer State, is there? And there's no legend like the one you grew up hearing over and over. For many Tennesseans, that commonplace legend is the tale of the Bell Witch. We’ve got our own set of amazing, offbeat adventures hiding around the state, but no story gets stranger than the tale of the Bell Witch, and you're going to love exploring her cave. Read on for more information:

Contrary to the sound of her moniker, the Bell Witch doesn’t live in a bell tower or wear bells in her hair. She is named for a farming family that lived in Adams, Tennessee. From 1817-1821, the Bell family, led by John Bell, Sr., experienced a haunting on their farm.

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Flickr/Brent Moore

Pictured here is the Bell Family Cemetery.

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The entity who would be called the Bell Witch was described as having many supernatural powers, including invisibility, clairvoyance, and telekinesis. It’s no wonder the Bells felt haunted—the Bell property is hauntingly beautiful.

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Facebook/The Historic Bell Witch Cave

If the legend of the Bell Witch sounds familiar, that’s because it’s wildly famous. Do you remember The Blair Witch Project? It was inspired by the legends surrounding the Bell Witch.

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Flickr/Cameron Dangle

But we aren’t here to talk about the legend. We’re here to talk about the cave.

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Flickr/Cameron Daigle

The Bell Witch Cave is hiding on the Bells’ old farm. It’s a 450-foot long karst cave that legend says Betsy Bell and her friends were playing in when they had an experience with the Bell Witch involving a lecture about the dangers of cave exploration.

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Flickr/Cameron Daigle

It’s just a cave, right? Nothing spooky about caves or anything. Why, look how warm and inviting the Bell Witch’s front porch is.

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Facebook/The Historic Bell Witch Cave

In 2008, the cave was put on the National Register of Historic Places due to its association with the Bells and the witch who haunted them.

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Flickr/Jimmy Emerson DVM

You can visit the cave today. Private tours are offered, but you’ll want to call ahead. This isn’t a drop-in kind of adventure. You wouldn't want to be caught anywhere near the Bell Witch alone.

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Flickr/Cameron Daigle

You can learn more about the Bell Witch Cave on their website. You may also want to follow along on Facebook at this link.

Had you heard the story of the Bell Witch? Have you seen her cave? Tell us all about your legendary encounter in the comments!

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Nature|Caves & Rock Formations

This Tennessee Cave Is Among The Most Haunted Places In The Nation

The Bell Witch Cave in Adams, Tennessee, is a famous site known for its terrifying ghost story.

Updated Aug 8, 2024

Written by 

Meghan Kraft

Would you dare to step foot in the dark in a known haunted cave in Tennessee? There's something about a ghost story that gets our blood pumping and our minds whirring. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, it's an interesting way to spend your days, studying the supernatural. Tennessee is steeped in history and has its own investment in the nation's supernatural depths, and the story of the Bell Witch is one of the most horrifying in the state. You may have heard of the small farm in Adams, Tennessee, and if you have, you're most certainly not alone.

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Cameron Daigle - Flickr

The Bell Witch Cave is the stuff of legend. It's known across the United States as one of Tennessee's most haunted places and one of the most haunted places in the country. The cave is located just outside of the small town of Adams, about half an hour north of Nashville.

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L. Sydney Fishe... I/ Tripadvisor

Haunted Tennessee isn't anything new for renowned ghost hunters and paranormal investigators but if you were looking to find "Haunted places near me" Then the Bell Witch Cave is a good place to start. Here is the terrifying story. John Bell and his family first settled the land in 1817. Shortly after their arrival, though, they began experiencing things that no one could explain.

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Cameron Daigle - Flickr

The family reported objects being flung around the house by an invisible force, and they said they could hear someone yelling in the house, cursing the family. The haunting was attributed to a witch in the area. She was known as Kate and was believed to live in a cave on the family's property.

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Cameron Daigle - Flickr

Betsy Bell, John's youngest daughter, was particularly tortured. She felt prods and pinches at all times of day and was even thrown from her bed by an invisible force on multiple occasions. It became worse when she was engaged to another local resident.

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Cameron Daigle - Flickr

Of course, the presence of a witch is hard to verify for modern researchers, but the fear of the witch was very real at the time. Even president-to-be Andrew Jackson refused to stay on the farm after going to investigate the presence of the witch for himself.

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aschlez74352/ Tripadvisor

Today, you can visit the farm for yourself, and you can even go into the cave where the witch supposedly lived. Enter if you dare, because who knows? Maybe she still lives there today.

You can delve a bit deeper into the scenery of this haunted cave in Tennessee, with this eerie video below:

Pretty crazy, wouldn't you say? This Tennessee ghost story never gets old.

Want to see more ghost stories in Tennessee? Head to Music City for a ghost tour of Nashville. One of my personal favorite ghost stories in the Volunteer State involves a creepy entity stalking a cemetery in Knoxville. If you dare to roam the grounds as the sun is setting or after dark be aware of a shadowy figure watching you from afar. To learn more check out the legend of Black Aggie.

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Nature|Caves & Rock Formations

Hike Through A Cave, Then Eat At The Cave Cafe At Lookout Mountain In Tennessee

Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tennessee, offers a unique cave tour featuring the tallest underground waterfall in the United States.

Updated Jul 30, 2024

Written by 

Chris Dodge

I love planning trips and love even more when I get to go on them, so today I wanted to showcase an underground-themed trip starting with an impressive underground waterfall followed up by a cave restaurant.

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We all love the giant mountain overlooks where we can see for miles and enjoy the scenery of a mountaintop experience. If you are anything like me, then you undoubtedly see the beauty all around our wonderful state. Sometimes, though, the best views are actually under our feet. Beauty is created in the darkness deep in underground caverns just waiting to be explored. Ruby Falls is the most popular cave in Tennessee, and we think it's worthy of a cave-themed day trip.

In Chattanooga, Tennessee, Lookout Mountain towers over the city peaking at just under 2,400 feet.

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Management/ Tripadvisor

The mountain itself is stunning and makes for a fun drive up the windy and thin mountain roads. The contrast between the busy city life of Chattanooga completely disappears the second you start to ascend the mountain. I think that alone is a beautiful thing that so close to everything you would need in the city can just fade away as you retreat further up the mountain. As much fun as the drive up the steep and windy roads are, the true beauty lies underneath in a famous place called Ruby Falls.

Make sure to purchase tickets for the cave tour in advance because this is a very popular cave tour.

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Dewayne P/ Tripadvisor

When you arrive the first thing you will notice is the stunning castle in which the cave entrance is located. This castle was formed from the rock that was cut out to make the elevator. So feel free to explore the property till it is time for your tour to begin. When it is time to start, with your ticket in hand, you will be granted access to an elevator ride that takes guests down 260 feet underground. Once in the cave, you will be walking a one-mile, round-trip path passing interesting rock formations. Many of the formations have clever names equating them to tobacco leaves or a western sunset. The tour is a slow-paced walk that averages around an hour to an hour and twenty minutes.

The main attraction is, of course, Ruby Falls.

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Darryl Kenyon/ Flickr

This stunning waterfall is the tallest underground waterfall in the United States. Ruby Falls is 145 feet tall and fills a majestic pool below from its impressive water flow. With dynamic lighting, the waterfall will shimmer and shine making it not only one of the most impressive waterfalls but also one of the prettiest in Tennessee.

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Touring the cave and seeing Ruby Falls is one of those bucket-list items that everyone should do in their life.

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Management/ Tripadvisor

After all that excitement and underground adventuring, you can really work up an appetite. Fortunately, the Cave Cafe is located right in the historic Ruby Falls Castle. This medieval-style structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was built using the limestone that was excavated to make the elevator leading down to the cave.

There are plenty of places for guests to relax and enjoy a coffee from the cafe while reminiscing over their underground adventures. After a good adventure, I like to talk about it with my family too. So sharing a meal and your favorite parts of the cave all in one place sounds like a win to me.

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Castle Cafe/ Google

The Cave Cafe offers a selection of items like flatbread pizza or wraps for visitors to enjoy.

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Castle Cafe/ Google

Their decadent dessert menu includes brownies and big chocolate chip cookies. Order your food and then sit on the back porch with incredible views from high up on the mountain. Exploring the beauty of Ruby Falls and then having a relaxing meal with a view, is the perfect day trip for anyone looking to enjoy Tennessee’s finest.

Ruby Falls is the most popular cave in Tennessee, and for good reason. Marvel at the wonderful waterfall underground, then enjoy a meal with incredible views of Chattanooga at the conveniently located Cave Cafe. If you want to take on this cave-themed day trip then we recommend heading over to the Ruby Falls website to buy your tickets. You can also peruse the menu of this cave restaurant by visiting the Cave Cafe website and even order ahead if you want to. To learn more about Ruby Falls make sure to watch this OnlyInYourState video:

If you want to explore the city of Chattanooga then check out what to do with a spontaneous road trip to Chattanooga. After a long day book a night stay in the nearby town of Whitwell for one of the most unique stays in Tennessee; a mirror cabin!

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