Pistol Creek is a 13 miles (20.9 km) tributary of the Little River

Little River (Tennessee)

Little River is a scenic river in Tennessee which drains a area containing some of the most spectacular scenery in the southeastern United States. The first of the river are all located within the borders of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park...

, located entirely within Blount County, Tennessee

Blount County, Tennessee

Blount County is a U.S. county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Its population was 123,010 at the United States Census, 2010. The county seat is at Maryville, which is also the county's largest city....

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Features

Pistol Creek arises from several springs in the Carpenter's Campground section of Blount County, flowing first northeast, then northwest to Pearson Springs within the city of Maryville

Maryville, Tennessee

Maryville is the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee, in the Southeastern United States. The city is located south of Knoxville. Maryville's population was 27,258 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Maryville has received a number of accolades for its...

. At Pearson Springs, the Maryville Alcoa Greenway

Maryville Alcoa Greenway

The Maryville Alcoa Greenway is a cooperative effort by the two cities and Blount County, Tennessee to connect existing parks with a paved foot and cycle path.-History:...

 begins to parallel Pistol Creek, which then flows east through Pearson Springs Park

Pearson Springs Park

Pearson Springs Park is a public park managed by Maryville/Alcoa/Blount County Parks and Recreation. Pearson Springs parallels Pistol Creek from Best Road on the northeast to the junction of the Maryville Alcoa Greenway and Montgomery Lane on the southwest, all within the City of Maryville,...

 and Sandy Springs Park

Sandy Springs Park

-Location:Sandy Springs Park is bound on the southwest by Best Street, on the northeast by Cedar Street, on northwest by Boyd Avenue and Willow Avenue, and on the southeast by Karrow Street, all within the City of Maryville, Tennessee...

 to the Bicentennial Park (Greenbelt)

Bicentennial Park (Greenbelt)

Bicentennial Park is a public park located in downtown Maryville, Tennessee.-History:Bicentennial Park was an urban renewal project of the City of Maryville during the period leading up to the US Bicentennial in 1976....

. Pistol Creek executes a mile long hook through the Greenbelt Park, turns north and enters the city of Alcoa

Alcoa, Tennessee

Alcoa is a city in Blount County, Tennessee, United States, south of Knoxville. Its population was 7,744 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area....

, then heads east and north east, joining the Little River a mile south of Rockford

Rockford, Tennessee

Rockford is a city in Blount County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 798 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...

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Pistol Creek has been designated an "impaired" stream by the Tennessee Department of Natural Resources. The stream suffers from a large amount of runoff from the cities of Maryville and Alcoa. Both cities have spent considerable funds, time and effort seeking to clean-up and beautify the Pistol Creek watershed.