Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area
Lenoir City, Tennessee · on Clinch River
Verified · 2 independent sources
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $140
- SEASON
- May
About Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area
Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area is a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) designated public swim beach on the Clinch River, at Melton Hill Reservoir just off U.S. 321 near Lenoir City, Tennessee. A TVA-sanctioned swimming hole and an easy lake to swim in, it sits within the TVA Melton Hill Dam Reservation, immediately adjacent to a TVA campground, boat ramp, and day-use picnic area.
The swim beach is part of the larger Melton Hill Dam Reservation on the Clinch River, a TVA reservoir with roughly 193 miles of shoreline. The reservation includes paved roads for walking and cycling, two TVA hiking trails, picnic pavilions, and a year-round campground with waterfront tent sites, set against the wooded shoreline just below and beside the dam itself.
Swimming at Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area
Swimming happens in a roped-off, buoy-delineated section of Melton Hill Reservoir (Clinch River) from which all boats are legally excluded under Tennessee boating regulations. Visitor comments describe it as a calm, low-key swim spot on the river/lake that is 'pretty quiet during the week,' with a shoreline reported to be muddy in places near the water's edge; it reads as a casual wading and floating spot rather than a deep-water or current-driven swim.
How to get to this swimming hole
Take TVA Melton Hill Dam Rd. off U.S. 321 near Lenoir City, TN; Legacy Parks Foundation lists the recreation area's address as 2015 Grubb Rd, Lenoir City, TN 37771. The swim beach is adjacent to the TVA Melton Hill Dam Campground, boat ramp, and day-use area.
The hike in
- Time on foot
- Under 5 minutes' walk from the day-use lot to the water.
The reservation has two separate TVA hiking trails for recreation, but neither is required to reach the swim beach - the swim area sits on flat ground directly beside the day-use parking, boat ramp, and campground.
This is a drive-up swim beach, not a hike-in spot.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
The swim zone is a roped/buoyed section of a calm reservoir (no river current) that TVA and Tennessee boating regs keep boat-free, which favors families. However, no lifeguard was confirmed at this or any TVA swim beach, and one aggregator review noted muddy patches along the shoreline entry, so young kids should be watched closely at the water's edge.
Parking
Free
Free day-use parking off TVA Melton Hill Dam Rd / Grubb Rd (2015 Grubb Rd, Lenoir City, TN 37771); campground source describes paved entry roads through the reservation. No parking fee found; only the separate picnic-pavilion reservation carries a $140 charge (free if used first-come, first-served).
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms are listed on-site at the day-use/swim area per Legacy Parks Foundation; the adjacent TVA campground also has two bathhouses with flush toilets and warm showers for campers.
Water clarity
Mostly clear
Visitor reviews describe 'clean water' but also note muddy patches on the shoreline. No detailed first-hand account of clarity beyond that was found despite repeated searches, so treat this as a thin, secondhand signal rather than a confirmed rating.
Hours
Day-use/swim area posted as sunrise to sunset (Legacy Parks Foundation). TVA's public swim-beach season runs May through October; the adjacent campground office/store keeps its own hours (roughly 9am-9pm) and the campground itself operates mid-March through mid-November.
On the water
Restrictions: No vessels of any kind (including kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and motorboats) are permitted inside the roped/buoyed swim area itself, per Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1660-02-07-.26, and nearby lake traffic is restricted to Slow-No-Wake speed. Paddlers can put in for the broader Melton Hill Reservoir at the adjacent public boat ramp within the same recreation area, which is separate from the swim zone.
gocamptennessee.com lists 'canoe access, boat ramp access' at the campground next to the swim beach, and Legacy Parks Foundation notes two boat ramps in the reservation (one below the dam, one above) giving paddlers access to both Melton Hill Reservoir and Watts Bar Reservoir.
Rentals nearby
Single and tandem sit-on-top kayaks, sit-in kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, 4-person pedal boats, and mountain/road bikes (with helmets) at this location
Prices: Single kayaks/paddleboards: $20 first hour, $5 per additional half hour; tandems/canoes: $24 first hour, $5/additional half hour; pedal boats: $29 first hour, $5/additional half hour
695 Melton Lake Drive, Oak Ridge, TN 37830 (Melton Lake Park, upstream on the same Melton Hill reservoir/Clinch River system, roughly 13 miles from the dam swim area by road)
Boat and kayak rentals for fishing or leisurely paddling/motoring on Melton Hill Lake
9133 Solway Ferry Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37830 - on the same reservoir, roughly 13 miles from the dam swim area
What regulars say
The best candid, first-hand color comes from visitor reports: one local comment calling it 'a nice swimming area on the river' that stays 'pretty quiet during the week,' and a review flagging muddy shoreline patches alongside otherwise clean water.
Backstory
Melton Hill Dam was built by TVA and completed in May 1963 on the Clinch River, spanning the Roane-Loudon county line; it is the only TVA tributary dam with a navigation lock and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area: FAQ
Does Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area charge a fee?
The swim beach and day-use area are free to access; picnic pavilions can be reserved for $140, or used first-come, first-served at no charge when unreserved (per the campground concessionaire, Go Camp Tennessee).
Is Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area kid friendly?
The swim zone is a roped/buoyed section of a calm reservoir (no river current) that TVA and Tennessee boating regs keep boat-free, which favors families. However, no lifeguard was confirmed at this or any TVA swim beach, and one aggregator review noted muddy patches along the shoreline entry, so young kids should be watched closely at the water's edge.
Do I need to hike to reach Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area?
Free day-use parking off TVA Melton Hill Dam Rd / Grubb Rd (2015 Grubb Rd, Lenoir City, TN 37771); campground source describes paved entry roads through the reservation. No parking fee found; only the separate picnic-pavilion reservation carries a $140 charge (free if used first-come, first-served).
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area?
gocamptennessee.com lists 'canoe access, boat ramp access' at the campground next to the swim beach, and Legacy Parks Foundation notes two boat ramps in the reservation (one below the dam, one above) giving paddlers access to both Melton Hill Reservoir and Watts Bar Reservoir.
When is the best time to visit Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area?
May through October, per TVA's stated public swim beach season; the adjacent campground operates roughly mid-March through mid-November.
What are the rules at Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area?
Formally designated as a TVA swim beach; per Tennessee Comp. R. & Regs. 1660-02-07-.26, all vessels are prohibited within the swimming area at Melton Hill Reservoir Beach (CRM 23.5L) as marked by a line of 'No Boating' buoys, and nearby boat traffic is restricted to 'Slow-No-Wake' speed.
What water body is Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area on?
Melton Hill Dam Swimming Area is on Clinch River, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
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