About This Site
TellicoLakeTour.com is an independent community resource created to help boaters, visitors, and Tellico Village residents safely explore and enjoy Tellico Lake — from Tellico Dam to Chilhowee Dam, approximately 33 miles of the main channel plus tributaries.
The site offers a virtual fly-through experience of the lake's main channel, organized by mile-marker segment. Each segment highlights points of interest and documents safety hazards to help boaters navigate confidently and safely.
All content on this site is provided free of charge. There are no memberships, subscriptions, or fees. TellicoLakeTour.com is an educational and community resource — not a substitute for official navigation charts or professional maritime guidance.
About the Creator
This site was created and is owned by Don Merritt, a retired Tellico Village resident and licensed captain. Don has an intimate knowledge of Tellico Lake built through years of boating experience, conducting on-water orientation sessions, and leading cruises for Tellico Village property owners through TVRA (Tellico Village Residents Association).
Don's houseboat tours have taken Tellico Village residents from Tellico Village Yacht Club, through Fort Loudon Dam's navigation locks, to Loudon, TN for lunch — and back. That same firsthand knowledge of the lake, its hazards, and its hidden gems drives everything you'll find here.
TellicoLakeTour.com is Don's personal project, created independently in his capacity as a Tellico Village resident and licensed captain. It is not affiliated with any organization.
About the Drone Footage
All aerial footage is filmed by Don using a drone. Don holds an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, and all flights are conducted in accordance with FAA Part 107 commercial UAS regulations. Footage is collected incrementally — one segment at a time — as weather and lake conditions allow. The site is designed to grow over time: new segments and footage are added as they become available.
Video is filmed at Summer Pool (mid-May through November) for the primary tour experience. Winter Pool footage is collected selectively for hazards where lower water levels reveal features hidden at Summer Pool.
About the Content
Points of interest and hazard information draw on local lake orientation knowledge accumulated over years of boating experience on Tellico Lake. This is public knowledge shared in the interest of safety and community education.
All content is provided for educational and recreational purposes only. TellicoLakeTour.com is not a real-time navigation resource and cannot reflect current conditions on the water. See the full Safety Disclaimer.
Ownership
TellicoLakeTour.com and all content on this site are solely owned by Don Merritt. This is an independent community resource. Don Merritt acts in a personal capacity as its creator and owner.