Cherokee Lake vs Tennessee National: How Do They Compare?

Cherokee Lake and Watts Bar Lake are both TVA lakes in East Tennessee, on opposite sides of Knoxville. They are not the same purchase.

Cherokee is a lake you shop lot by lot. Tennessee National is one private, gated lake and golf community on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, about 30 minutes from Knoxville. Here is how to tell which fits how you will really live.

What is the difference between Cherokee Lake and Tennessee National?

Cherokee Lake is an open lake with many separate lots and neighborhoods, and Tennessee National is one gated community with a fixed set of amenities. On Cherokee you buy a lot or a house, then arrange the rest: where the boat stays and where you play golf. At Tennessee National the course, the marina and the clubhouse are inside the gates.

Details about Cherokee Lake change. Confirm current lake levels, dock rules and listings with TVA and a local agent before you decide.

Why does the kind of lake matter?

It matters because it decides how much the water moves between summer and winter. Watts Bar is a main-river lake. TVA keeps it within a narrow range: summer pool runs about 740 to 741 feet and the winter minimum is 735 feet. That is a change of about 5 to 6 feet.

Cherokee is a tributary storage lake. TVA lowers its tributary storage lakes further in winter than its main-river lakes, to make room for flood water. That is how the river system is designed, and it protects people downstream. We will not quote Cherokee numbers here. TVA publishes them.

So see both lakes in winter before you buy waterfront on either one. TVA's lake level page has current numbers for both. Our guide to Watts Bar Lake levels explains what to ask, and our Watts Bar, Norris and Douglas comparison covers other tributary lakes.

Which way is each one from Knoxville?

They are in opposite directions. Tennessee National is southwest of Knoxville, about 30 minutes from the city and about 10 minutes from I-75. McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 35 minutes from the gate, and Farragut is about 20. Our post on how far Tennessee National is from Knoxville has the full list.

Cherokee Lake is northeast of Knoxville. Drive times there depend on which shore and town you choose. Time your exact route before you fall for a listing, and do it at the hour you would really drive it.

What about golf and boating?

Tennessee National has one Greg Norman Signature golf course inside the gates: 18 holes, 7,393 yards, par 72. It is a golf cart community. If golf is a daily habit, a course in the neighborhood matters more than any lake statistic. Golf membership questions go to the club, and the golf page is the place to start.

The marina is inside the gates too: full service, with 140+ boat slips. Watts Bar Lake has more than 39,000 acres of water, and locks connect it to the rest of the Tennessee River system. Ask the marina what is open now.

Around Cherokee Lake, ask how far the nearest course is and where you would keep the boat. A state park sits on the Cherokee shoreline, which is a plus if you like public land close by. TVA's shoreline rules apply on both lakes. On Cherokee, ask TVA what a dock permit would allow on the lot you like. At Tennessee National, ask what is possible on a specific waterfront homesite and what TVA requires.

What drives the cost at each?

On an open lake, price follows the water. Does the lot touch it? Is a dock in place or allowed? Then compare the whole picture, not only the price of the lot. Add what it would take to get the things you want, such as a slip or dock, golf and upkeep. A local agent can show you current Cherokee numbers.

At Tennessee National, the first question is which of the five ways to own fits you: a wooded homesite in The Timbers, a lake homesite, a waterfront homesite, a Land & Home package or a townhome. Homes are custom built and go through design review, and there is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite. Pricing is in the info pack.

Both are in Tennessee, so the state tax picture is the same. Tennessee has no state income tax. Property tax is a county question, so ask each county.

Who should look at Cherokee Lake?

Look at Cherokee Lake if you want to put together your own setup. For example:

• You want to shop many separate lots and houses.
• Your work or relatives are northeast of Knoxville.
• You do not need golf, a marina or a clubhouse in the neighborhood.
• You want to choose your own shore and your own town.

Who should look at Tennessee National?

Look at Tennessee National if you want golf, a marina and neighbors in one place. For example:

• You want one gated address with the amenities already built.
• You want a main-river lake that changes about 5 to 6 feet through the year.
• You want I-75, the airport and Knoxville close.
• You want to buy a homesite now and build on your own schedule.

What should you check in person?

Do not decide from photos. Spend a day at each.

1. Stand on the shoreline in winter. Look at where the water is and where the dock sits.
2. Drive from each address to Knoxville at rush hour. Write down the time.
3. Ask what is included: golf, marina, gate, roads.
4. Ask TVA about the dock rules for the specific lot.
5. Get the costs in writing: price, HOA fees, dock or slip costs, property tax and insurance.

The honest trade-off

Cherokee Lake gives you a wide-open search and more freedom to do things your own way. Tennessee National gives you less of that. There is an HOA, there is design review and there are shared rules.

In return you get a defined place: a Greg Norman Signature course, a full-service marina and 22 social clubs on 1,492 gated acres, about 30 minutes from Knoxville. If a defined community sounds like less work, see it in person. If it sounds like too many rules, Cherokee deserves a longer look.

Facts about Tennessee National come from the community. Lake facts come from TVA. Rules, taxes, loans and insurance change, so confirm anything that affects a purchase with the right office or professional before you buy.