Hi Karen,
The club’s traditional start for a newer boater would be the Nantahala. It can be a bit pushy in a couple of places but nothing of consequence. Plus, it’s guaranteed to have water!
Sorry, I’ve only done the Tellico once, years ago, and I don’t remember the level it was running then. I don’t want to give advice on that one. Looks like it could be a bit low unless they get rain: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/1792/
That link has a description on where the Ranger Station is.
This link (if it works) has a map to what I assume is the takeout spot:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tellico+Ranger+District/@35.3430496,-84.2292621,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x567c036810d98c9e!8m2!3d35.3430496!4d-84.2292621
My personal plan is to go to NOC today and make the Nantahala/Tellico decision Thursday evening by flipping a coin or arm-wrestling my son, or some other scientific approach.
Not much help, sorry.
Garrett
(314) 348-6909