VA 16 · USA

Back of the Dragon

Virginia Route 16 between Marion and Tazewell, 32 miles across Big Walker, Brushy and Clinch mountains. Its name is a nod to the Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee.

30.1 miLength

251Pace-note calls

16Hairpins

71Tight corners (1–2)

↑1,210 ↓1,120Climb and drop, m

≈1,060 mHighest point

Counts are from Turini’s pace-note engine on this route. Heights come from terrain data and can differ from signposted figures by a few tens of metres.

Where is the Back of the Dragon?

The Back of the Dragon is in the USA, on VA 16. Also known as Virginia Route 16. The route on this page: Marion to Tazewell, Virginia, over three mountains, 30.1 miles.

Why the Back of the Dragon is famous

It is a run of hundreds of sharp turns, with estimates from about 260 to 438 of them, many marked at 15 mph, with long climbs and descents between valleys. It is a favourite of motorcyclists and sports-car drivers.

Back of the Dragon hairpins

Over 48.4 km Turini calls 16 hairpins, 1 square corner and 225 corners graded 1 to 6, plus 5 crests and 1 dip. That is 251 calls in all, one every 193 metres on average. Grade 1 is the tightest, 6 is nearly straight (how to read pace notes). On Turini’s ranking of the twistiest famous roads it comes 36th of 61.

HP16

125

246

353

429

524

648

Back of the Dragon elevation profile

From 680 m at the start to 769 m at the finish, with a highest point of about 1,060 m. Red marks are the hairpins.

1,100 m600 m

0 km24.2 km48.4 km

Back of the Dragon pace notes, first few miles

The first 25 calls, exactly as Turini reads them, with the distance from the start.

5 mLeft 4

35 mRight 3

135 mLeft 6

285 mRight 3

430 mLeft 6

600 mRight 5 very long

805 mBridge

1.22 kmRight 6 long

1.59 kmLeft 3 long opens

1.82 kmRight 6

2.19 kmLeft 6

2.58 kmRight 6

2.90 kmLeft 4 long

3.75 kmRight 4

3.90 kmRight 4 long

4.04 kmLeft 2 long

4.36 kmRight 5

4.41 kmLeft 3

4.50 kmRight 3 opens

4.61 kmLeft 3

4.68 kmRight 4

4.79 kmLeft 3 tightens

4.89 kmRight 4 opens

5.03 kmLeft 6

5.30 kmHairpin right

That takes you to 5.30 km. 226 more calls follow over the remaining 43.1 km.

Before you drive the Back of the Dragon

Open all year. Snow and ice can make it treacherous in winter.

Watch for loose gravel, fallen rocks and farm traffic pulling out. The welcome centre in Tazewell is the usual start or finish.

How to drive the Back of the Dragon with Turini

Set the route before you leave and Turini saves its notes on the phone, so it works with the screen off and no signal. On the road it reads each call about 4.5 seconds before the corner, timed to your speed, and you never touch the phone. It plays through the phone or the car speakers. If pace notes are new to you, start in Simple mode (Easy, Medium, Hard) and switch to the 1–6 scale once it feels natural.

Always drive within the law, the conditions and what you can see. Turini tells you what the map says; the road is what counts.

The Back of the Dragon: questions

Is the Back of the Dragon open all year?

Open all year. Snow and ice can make it treacherous in winter.

Where is the Back of the Dragon?

The Back of the Dragon is in the USA, on VA 16. Also known as Virginia Route 16. The route on this page: Marion to Tazewell, Virginia, over three mountains, 30.1 miles.

How long is the Back of the Dragon?

The route on this page, Marion to Tazewell, Virginia, over three mountains, is 30.1 miles (48.4 km) long, with about 3,970 ft (1,210 m) of climbing.

How many hairpins does the Back of the Dragon have?

On this route Turini calls 16 hairpins and 225 corners graded 1 to 6, plus 1 square corner: 251 pace-note calls in all, about 8 corners a mile. Signposted counts can differ, since Turini only calls a hairpin where the road really doubles back.

How high does the Back of the Dragon go?

The highest point on this route is about 3,480 ft (1,060 m), from terrain data, so it can differ from the signposted height by a few tens of metres. It starts at 2,230 ft and finishes at 2,520 ft.

More roads like the Back of the Dragon

Blue Ridge ParkwayUSA18.1 km · 57 calls

Tail of the DragonUSA18.5 km · 176 calls · 21 hairpins

Cherohala SkywayUSA40.4 km · 131 calls

Best driving roads in the USA · The twistiest famous roads, ranked · All famous roads · How to read pace notes · Best driving apps for twisty roads

Sources: Wikipedia: Virginia State Route 16.

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