Tellico
4. Oosterneck Access point to Tellico Plains
| Difficulty | I-III |
| Length | 4.6 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Tellico River at Tellico Plains, Tn |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 1.24 ftbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | March 18, 2024 |
River Description
The usual put in for this run is the Oosterneck access point on Hwy 165, just before River Road which follows the Tellico up to the middle and upper sections. From there it is about a 3.5 to 4 mile float down towards town.
Take out access is not great at the moment. We asked a local business if we could use their overflow lot near the residential bridge over the river. As of this writing (March 2024) there is no public take out point.
I would say about 2.5 feet on the Tellico gauge is a reasonable minimum, but the stream can probably be paddled lower if you don't mind banging a lot of rocks. Upper levels depend on your bravery and skill sets. Most of the run is in the class 2/3 range. The two larger sets of the ledges, the one just down stream of the Hwy bridge, and the one behind the cabins just pass the Tellico Beach cafe, are in the class 3 to 4 range depending on levels and line choice.
Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to the Streams of Tennessee, B. Sehlinger
This is a nice and easy roadside float, or something to run when everything else is at flood. Due to the fact that the streambed is nearly twice as wide as the gorge upstream it can handle 2000 cfs easily. The downside it that it takes a bit more water than the gorge to get this section running.
See also:
River Features
Put In
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportWe ran this section on 07/22/23 with 3 adults and 5 kids (6yo x 2 and 9yo x 3) in a 12ft raft at what would be a high level for the ledges (3.5ft). Overall, pretty mild and fun, but there were two substantial rapids, both in terms of their length and gradient.
It is also advised to scout for wood as you drive up and stop to look at the two channels around the island just downstream from the pull out for the WIldcat Creek overlook. There was a river wide log just ~2ft above the water blocking the right channel.
Ran this with a group of 5, September 24, 2006. Level was ranging between 3.5 and 4.5' according to the graph. More difficult than the Nantahala, less difficult than the Middle Ocoee. More like a river and less like a creek at that level. Take a good look at the rapid by the highway bridge, there is bad stuff on the left but the rapid can be run down the right with a couple of boofs. You may need to ask permission from a land owner to take out in the edge of town.