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Guest
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
I live 5 miles from this road and have ridden it for many years. The best part is the 32 miles from Marion, VA to Tazewell, VA. It is over 3 mountains, very curvy (15 mph posted curves), little traffic and beautiful.
2003
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7 riders found this road review useful

Guest
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
Wonderful road to ride. Very little traffic, decent speed limit, no LEO. Rode this a few days before the "Tail Of The Dragon" and liked this better. Certainly not well known, but well worth the ride. Very technical and incredible scenery, if you can take your eyes off the next corner long enough to look around.
1999
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6 riders found this road review useful

HobGoblin07
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Sport
Route is full of twisties, and elevation changes. Verrry fun to ride; can't wait to go again. Roads are in great condition. A
There is also a gift shop and places to stop for a break.
There is also a gift shop and places to stop for a break.
2016
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4 riders found this road review useful

I RYD
157 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
Run this from Frog Level to Marion, 9/6/2016. Back of the Dragon has great twisties and elevation change. Not a lot of civilization along this stretch.
2010
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3 riders found this road review useful

Lesterbtorkus
10 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Standard
Rode this in early October, 2013. More scenic the the back of the dragon, but with lots of curves and hills. Gotta get back to Virginia.
2001
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3 riders found this road review useful

Guest
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Sport - Touring
One of the very best roads in Virginia/NC highlands. Worth going out of your way to ride.
1999
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3 riders found this road review useful

Guest
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
11 mi. west of Hwy. 16 we ate at The Pit - great food, service and conversation with owner. Then headed to the fantastic roads and scenery of this route. We would recommend it to anyone who wants the combination of peaceful views with a challenging ride. Would definitely visit this area of the Country again!
1990
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3 riders found this road review useful

Guest
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
Awesome, beautifull ride, stopped for lunch in a country restaurant we had a group of 5 bikes.
Rode from Fancy Gap to Galax, Independence, Mouth of wilson, Marion to Tazewell.
We cut it short and took 42 East (beautiful ride) to 52, picked up I&& and south back to Fancy Gap. A must ride, take it slow lots of curves
Rode from Fancy Gap to Galax, Independence, Mouth of wilson, Marion to Tazewell.
We cut it short and took 42 East (beautiful ride) to 52, picked up I&& and south back to Fancy Gap. A must ride, take it slow lots of curves
2009
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3 riders found this road review useful

Guest
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
To me this is better that the Dragon, road is much better, scenic, three mtns, longer, less traffic and great fun. If you enjoy roads like 129 @ Deals Gap and Shady Valley 421 you should really enjoy route 16. I normally ride this on Sundays to from Tazewell Va to Marion Va. stop at the sonic and head back. Lots of fun.
2007
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3 riders found this road review useful

Akumu
4000 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Sport - Touring
The Back of the Dragon. What a great ride, if you can have a clear run. I was fortunate enough this year 2019 to have a completely clean run going north the whole way. Motorcycling Nirvana. Fortunately there are a good few pull-offs for if you get stuck behind the people that insist on doing 25 miles an hour on the road. And for those pull-offs there's plenty of nice views. I can only imagine how great it looks in October.
The route can't be recommended enough.
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3 riders found this road review useful

Ridden
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Standard
I've been riding this road for the past eight years and it's been a great little secret. Until 2011. The Tazewell Dept. of Tourism decided that they should get the same recognition as the "Dragon" so they've been plugging it to get lots of MC tourists. That's going to crowd the road, increase accidents and add heavy LEO patrolling. Too bad.
I usually make an annual trip to go camping with friends from all over the eastern half of the US in Hungry Mother state park. We just try to avoid the "Back of the dragon" rally weekends...
Great road although some sections were getting a little rough. Views are incredibly distracting...try to ride it before the squids ruin the secrecy of the area...
I usually make an annual trip to go camping with friends from all over the eastern half of the US in Hungry Mother state park. We just try to avoid the "Back of the dragon" rally weekends...
Great road although some sections were getting a little rough. Views are incredibly distracting...try to ride it before the squids ruin the secrecy of the area...
2004
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2 riders found this road review useful

Guest
0 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
Very nice ride, beautiful scenery. Just be careful not to drag the frame on those larger cruisers :)
2004
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2 riders found this road review useful

GJRonK
2630 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
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Wonderful road to ride. Very little traffic. For sure less traffic and more fun than the Dragon. Will give you as much challenge as you demand.
Curves in woods, curves in pastureland, uphill, downhill, fast, slow, hairpins, nice scener
Wonderful road to ride. Very little traffic. For sure less traffic and more fun than the Dragon. Will give you as much challenge as you demand.
Curves in woods, curves in pastureland, uphill, downhill, fast, slow, hairpins, nice scener
2018
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2 riders found this road review useful

absinthe minded
80 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Adventure Touring
We caught this Route in Marion and rode to Tazewell (I believe this stretch is know as Back Of The Dragon), didn't ride to Yukon but what we did ride was beautiful. Well worth the visit. We were on a week trip which started in Pa. and covered Skyline Dr., Blueridge Pkwy, Great Smokey Mountains and much more.
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2 riders found this road review useful
ThomSS
3744 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Other
Only rode the stretch from Marion to Tazwell, went up and back twice... what a great ride! Road surface is in good shape, plenty of twisties and switchbacks along with elevation changes! One of the best rides I've been on! Be sure to check out Back of the Dragon store in Tazwell, big selection of shirts and stuff, the new store is set to open May of 2020, sounds like it's going to be really nice! Macado's in downtown Marion is a great place to eat. Old Post Office converted, really cool place to see, great food, generous portions!
2016
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1 riders found this road review useful

Zabes63
20 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
By far the most amazing and beautiful stretch of road I have ever ridden. Phenomenal scenery and roads. We started in Pineville WV and road all the way to Marion VA. Amenities are sparse north of the state line but are plentiful once you hit Tazewell.
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1 riders found this road review useful

Jason Ellison
62 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
one of my favorites. usually not crowded, plenty of switchbacks and great views.
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1 riders found this road review useful

red bud
344 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
lots of sharp curves, when we rode tru there all 3 of us nearly hit a deer at different spots
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1 riders found this road review useful

SKCMPeters
30 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
Back of the Dragon is a hoot. Great ride
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0 riders found this road review useful

totowrench
110 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
Awesome, road. Took from Tazewell down to Boone, NC
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0 riders found this road review useful

PaulC
812 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
The lower part of this route, 32 miles between the quaint towns of Tazewell and Marion, is better known as the Back Of The Dragon. Wonderful windy, twisty roads make this a very enjoyable route. The turns are not quite as challenging as the Tail OF The Dragon. But the scenery is every bit as good - if not better. It is rumored there are between 260 and 438 turns, hairpins, sweepers, doglegs and so on.
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0 riders found this road review useful

Roadking27
22 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
The new store at the back of the dragon is great. Best part of the road is Tazewell to Marion.
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0 riders found this road review useful

16lowrider103
108 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Cruiser
Beautiful scenic ride with lots of great views, switchbacks one after another. If you rode the tail of the dragon this one is the Back Of The Dragon which is bigger
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0 riders found this road review useful

adatuser
13 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Sport - Touring
Great twisties and scenery.
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0 riders found this road review useful