Sports and activities in the Tellico Plains area center around the great outdoors. With the Tellico River and its tributaries, fishing, whitewater kayaking, canoeing, and tubing are popular draws. Swimming, bird watching, and hunting are also popular in the Cherokee National Forest. Hiking and backpacking are popular pursuits, with trails ranging from paved and wheelchair accessible to remote and steep. The Benton MacKaye Trail crosses through this region, attracting those in search of a more solitary Southern Appalachian trek than that offered on the nearby Appalachian Trail.
Bicycling opportunities abound, for mountain bikes and road bikes. Try the easy 3-mile family-friendly trail around Indian Boundary Lake, explore lovely country backroads, or test yourself with the challenge of the Cherohala Skyway - only for the most adventuresome experienced bicyclists.
For other outdoor activities, saddle up for a guided horseback trail ride, echoing the rural lifestyle which still thrives in Tellico Plains. Go panning for gold, as settlers did in the early 1800s in the streams of Coker Creek. Take a leisurely stroll on the paved walking path which starts behind the Charles Hall Museum; it's especially lovely when the pear trees bloom in early spring.
Near the Tellico Plains Community Center there are lighted town tennis courts, a basketball court, a playground, and a ballfield.
Organized bicycle tours and races, fun runs and walks, and other group activities occur in and around Tellico Plains at various times of the year. Be sure to check our calendar for upcoming sports events and activities.
