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State Route 16 is a primary state highway in the
southwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
part of the U.S. state of
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. It runs from the
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
border at
North Carolina Highway 16 North Carolina Highway 16 (NC 16) is a 143.8-mile (231.4 km) primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Traveling in a north–south direction, it connects the cities and towns of Charlotte, Newton, Conover, Taylo ...
north to the
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
border at
West Virginia Route 16 West Virginia Route 16 (WV 16) is a north–south route located in the U.S. State of West Virginia. The southern terminus of the route is at the Virginia state line in Bishop, McDowell County, where the route continues south as Virginia St ...
, passing through the towns of Troutdale,
Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mario ...
, and Tazewell. Highway 16 is part of a three-state route 16 that connects the
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
region with northwestern
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
.


Route description


Grayson County

SR 16 begins at the
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
state line near the community of Grassy Creek, where
North Carolina Highway 16 North Carolina Highway 16 (NC 16) is a 143.8-mile (231.4 km) primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Traveling in a north–south direction, it connects the cities and towns of Charlotte, Newton, Conover, Taylo ...
ends. (Mayberry Road/State Route 856, the old alignment of SR 16, crosses a bit to the east, and quickly joins SR 16.) SR 16 heads in a general east-northeasterly direction alongside minor creeks until it reaches Wilson Creek. It crosses that creek and heads east (downstream) alongside it to the junction with U.S. Route 58 at Mouth of Wilson. SR 16 and US 58
overlap Overlap may refer to: * In set theory, an overlap of elements shared between sets is called an intersection, as in a Venn diagram. * In music theory, overlap is a synonym for reinterpretation of a chord at the boundary of two musical phrases * O ...
northwest from Mouth of Wilson next to a minor creek and then next to Wilson Creek, this time heading upstream. At Volney, US 58 turns west, along with Wilson Creek, and SR 16 continues uphill, northward and northwestward past
Grant Grant or Grants may refer to: Places *Grant County (disambiguation) Australia * Grant, Queensland, a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia United Kingdom * Castle Grant United States * Grant, Alabama * Grant, Inyo County, ...
and Troutdale, to its crossing of the
Tennessee Valley Divide The Tennessee Valley Divide is the boundary of the drainage basin of the Tennessee River and its tributaries. The Tennessee River drainage basin begins with its tributaries in southwestern Virginia and flows generally west to the confluence of t ...
at Dickey Gap between Hurricane Mountain and Straight Mountain in the Iron Mountains.


Smyth County

Soon after crossing the divide, State Route 650, once the alignment of U.S. Route 58, splits off to the west, while SR 16 heads northeast and downhill to Sugar Grove. After a flat area near Sugar Grove, SR 16 again heads uphill, north and northwest across Brushy Mountain and the
Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail (also called the A.T.), is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian ...
. It then runs northwest, following Staley Creek downhill past Attoway and Furnace Hill and through several gaps into
Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mario ...
. Between Sugar Grove and Trout Dale(Grayson County) SR 16 share a routing concurrency with US Bicycle Route 76. SR 16 enters the town of Marion on Commerce Street, meeting
Interstate 81 Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Isla ...
and then State Route 217 (the Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute driveways). At Main Street ( U.S. Route 11), SR 16 turns northeast,
overlap Overlap may refer to: * In set theory, an overlap of elements shared between sets is called an intersection, as in a Venn diagram. * In music theory, overlap is a synonym for reinterpretation of a chord at the boundary of two musical phrases * O ...
ping US 11 out of downtown to Park Boulevard. There it turns northwest to the city limits. The road again heads uphill, passing the west shore of Hungry Mother Lake and the entrance to
Hungry Mother State Park Hungry Mother State Park is a state park in southwestern Virginia. Much of the land for Hungry Mother State Park was donated by local landowners to develop a new state park in Smyth County on Hungry Mother Creek. The park is one of the six orig ...
( State Route 348). SR 16 crosses Walker Mountain in a curving route, coming down into the Rich Valley and crossing the
North Fork Holston River The Holston River is a river that flows from Kingsport, Tennessee, to Knoxville, Tennessee. Along with its three major forks (North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork), it comprises a major river system that drains much of northeastern Tennessee, ...
at Chatham Hill and State Route 42 soon after at Black Hill. Again SR 16 heads uphill, climbing Brushy Mountain to the county line.


Tazewell County

Another twisty descent takes SR 16 down Brushy Mountain into the Freestone Valley, but almost immediately it must rise again to cross
Clinch Mountain Clinch Mountain is a mountain ridge in the U.S. states of Tennessee and Virginia, lying in the ridge-and-valley section of the Appalachian Mountains. From its southern terminus at Kitts Point, which lies at the intersection of Knox, Union and Gr ...
. This time, a single hairpin turn takes it into the wide Thompson Valley, where it passes the community of Thompson Valley. A gap between
Knob Mountain Knob Mountain is a mountain in Page County, Virginia. It is part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Its summit lies within Shenandoah National Park at an elevation of 2,671 ft (814 m). Geology Geologically speaking, the mountain is situated ...
and Rich Mountain leads to U.S. Route 19/460 Business at Frog Level, just east of the north end of State Route 91. SR 16 turns northeast along US 19/460 Business into Tazewell, meeting the State Route 16 Alternate (Fairground Road) shortcut along the way. The
overlap Overlap may refer to: * In set theory, an overlap of elements shared between sets is called an intersection, as in a Venn diagram. * In music theory, overlap is a synonym for reinterpretation of a chord at the boundary of two musical phrases * O ...
ped routes pass through downtown Tazewell on Main Street and
Fincastle Turnpike The Fincastle Turnpike, also known as the "Fincastle and Blue Ridge Turnpike Company", was approved in 1834 by the Virginia General Assembly to maintain a toll turnpike that followed part of the Wilderness Road from Fincastle, Virginia, to the Cumb ...
; SR 16 then splits to the northwest on Tazewell Avenue. It crosses the
U.S. Route 19 U.S. Route 19 (US 19) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie. The highway's southern ...
/ U.S. Route 460 bypass of Tazewell on its way to the west end of State Route 61 at North Tazewell, still inside the town of Tazewell. SR 16 turns west where it meets SR 61, paralleling the
Clinch River The Clinch River is a river that flows southwest for more than through the Great Appalachian Valley in the U.S. states of Virginia and Tennessee, gathering various tributaries, including the Powell River, before joining the Tennessee River in Ki ...
to the north end of SR 16 Alternate at River Jack. There it turns north and leaves Tazewell. SR 16 begins to rise again, passing
Adria Adria is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Rovigo in the Veneto region of northern Italy, situated between the mouths of the rivers Adige and Po River, Po. The remains of the Etruria, Etruscan city of Atria or Hatria are to be found below ...
on its way to the community of Stony Ridge, then crossing the
Tennessee Valley Divide The Tennessee Valley Divide is the boundary of the drainage basin of the Tennessee River and its tributaries. The Tennessee River drainage basin begins with its tributaries in southwestern Virginia and flows generally west to the confluence of t ...
again there. The road then descends the ridge to the northwest, crossing into
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
and becoming
West Virginia Route 16 West Virginia Route 16 (WV 16) is a north–south route located in the U.S. State of West Virginia. The southern terminus of the route is at the Virginia state line in Bishop, McDowell County, where the route continues south as Virginia St ...
near the community of
Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
.


Back of the Dragon

The section of SR 16 that passes between
Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mario ...
and Tazewell is called the Back of the Dragon. It is a noted route of that has several hundred sharp turns, scenic overlooks and is a favorite of bicycle, motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts from several countries. The Back of the Dragon crosses Big Walker, Brushy and
Clinch Mountain Clinch Mountain is a mountain ridge in the U.S. states of Tennessee and Virginia, lying in the ridge-and-valley section of the Appalachian Mountains. From its southern terminus at Kitts Point, which lies at the intersection of Knox, Union and Gr ...
s along its route that runs from
Hungry Mother State Park Hungry Mother State Park is a state park in southwestern Virginia. Much of the land for Hungry Mother State Park was donated by local landowners to develop a new state park in Smyth County on Hungry Mother Creek. The park is one of the six orig ...
north of Marion for to Tazewell. Larry Brent Davidson spearheaded the naming of this section of the road because the route reminded him of the humps on the back of a dragon. The turn count varies considerably with estimates of between 260 and 438 turns. The
speed limit Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed - expre ...
is generally with many turns marked at . Loose gravel, fallen rocks, agricultural trucks and vehicles suddenly coming out on the road, has led to 12 crashes, 13 injuries and no fatalities between 2013 and 2018, according to the
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (Virginia DMV) is the governmental agency responsible for registering and titling automobiles and other motor vehicles as well as licensing Driver's license, drivers in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commo ...
.


History

One of the first two pieces of current SR 16 to be added to the state highway system was the road from Mouth of Wilson north to State Route 650 (Comers Creek Road) north of Troutdale, which was part of State Route 12 (the predecessor to U.S. Route 58) by 1923. Part of this, from Mouth of Wilson to Volney, still carries US 58. At the other end, the State Highway Commission recommended that the
General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presb ...
add the road from Tazewell north to North Tazewell to the state highway system in late 1921, as part of a relocation of State Route 11 (now
U.S. Route 19 U.S. Route 19 (US 19) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie. The highway's southern ...
/ U.S. Route 460) to serve North Tazewell rather than Tazewell. The relocation was not made, but the spur and its continuation north to
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
was added, and was numbered State Route 117 in the 1923 renumbering. (The current route of US 19/US 460 does bypass Tazewell on much the same alignment as the SHC recommended.) By 1927, SR 117 had become part of State Route 105, which continued south from Tazewell to Glade Spring along current State Route 91. This part of SR 16 north of Tazewell, along with the road south to Glade Spring, was renumbered State Route 112 in the 1928 renumbering and State Route 81 in the 1933 renumbering, not being split at Tazewell until 1940. In 1928, the next piece of SR 16, running north and south from
State Route 10 Route 10, or Highway 10, can refer to routes in the following countries: International * European route E10 * European route E010 Argentina * La Pampa Provincial Route 10 Australia Queensland * Smith Street Motorway (Queensland) * Scenic H ...
(now U.S. Route 11 in
Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mario ...
, 6.8 miles (10.9 km) in each direction, was added to the state highway system as State Route 113. Further extensions were added south to SR 12 (now State Route 650) in 1930 and 1931 and north for 1.90 miles (3.06 km) and 3.00 miles (4.83 km) in 1931 and 1932 respectively (taking it to Chatham Hill). In 1932, a 4.78-mile (7.69 km) piece on the other side of Brushy Mountain was added, from SR 11 near Tazewell south to SR 602 (Pleasant Hill Church Road) at Criggers. Both pieces of SR 113 - through Marion and south from Tazewell - became State Route 88 in the 1933 renumbering. In 1933 and 1934, the Marion section was extended north to State Route 42. The final piece in
Smyth County Smyth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,800. Its county seat is Marion. History Smyth County was formed on February 23, 1832, from Washington and Wythe counties. The county ...
was added in 1936; the gap in Tazewell County was filled in 1937 and 1938. The whole piece of present SR 16 from State Route 12 (now U.S. Route 58) at Mouth of Wilson southwest to North Carolina Highway 681 (now
North Carolina Highway 16 North Carolina Highway 16 (NC 16) is a 143.8-mile (231.4 km) primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Traveling in a north–south direction, it connects the cities and towns of Charlotte, Newton, Conover, Taylo ...
) was added in 1931 as State Route 139. It was renumbered State Route 92 in the 1933 renumbering. In the 1940 renumbering, the present route of State Route 16 was assigned over all of SR 92 and SR 88 and the part of SR 81 north of Tazewell. (The rest of SR 81 was simultaneously renumbered State Route 91, and U.S. Route 58 was removed from the Volney- Troutdale piece of SR 16.) At the same time, North Carolina Highway 681 and
West Virginia Route 12 West Virginia Route 12 (WV 12) is a north–south route located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of West Virginia. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 219 in Peterstown, Monroe County, less than from the Virginia st ...
were renumbered as
North Carolina Highway 16 North Carolina Highway 16 (NC 16) is a 143.8-mile (231.4 km) primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Traveling in a north–south direction, it connects the cities and towns of Charlotte, Newton, Conover, Taylo ...
and
West Virginia Route 16 West Virginia Route 16 (WV 16) is a north–south route located in the U.S. State of West Virginia. The southern terminus of the route is at the Virginia state line in Bishop, McDowell County, where the route continues south as Virginia St ...
, forming a three-state route.


Major intersections


SR 16 Alternate

State Route 16 Alternate is a primary state highway in and near the town of
Tazewell, Virginia Tazewell () is a town in Tazewell County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,627 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bluefield, WV-VA micropolitan area, which has a population of 107,578. It is the county seat of Tazewell County. ...
,
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. It is an
alternate route An official alternate route is a special route in the United States that provides an alternate alignment for a highway. They are loop roads and found in many road systems in the United States including the U.S. Highway system and various state a ...
of State Route 16, with both ends in Tazewell; the route is shorter than staying on SR 16 through Tazewell. SR 16 Alternate begins at SR 16 where it
overlap Overlap may refer to: * In set theory, an overlap of elements shared between sets is called an intersection, as in a Venn diagram. * In music theory, overlap is a synonym for reinterpretation of a chord at the boundary of two musical phrases * O ...
s U.S. Route 19/460 Business in southwestern Tazewell. It generally heads northwest, leaving the town before interchanging with the
U.S. Route 19 U.S. Route 19 (US 19) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie. The highway's southern ...
/ U.S. Route 460 bypass. SR 16 Alternate re-enters Tazewell, crossing the
Clinch River The Clinch River is a river that flows southwest for more than through the Great Appalachian Valley in the U.S. states of Virginia and Tennessee, gathering various tributaries, including the Powell River, before joining the Tennessee River in Ki ...
before ending at SR 16 in the River Jack area of Tazewell. SR 16 Alternate was added to the primary state highway system in 1953; it had been secondary State Route 631.


References


Further reading

* *


External links


Virginia Highways Project: VA 16

Back of the Dragon

Facebook page for the back of the dragon

Virginia is for Lovers, BackoftheDragon

Youtube.com
"Back of the Dragon VA SR 16 1.1". Abstract: Running from Tazewell to Marion VA, Virginia's State Road # 16 is 32 miles of switchbacks and sweepers climbing and descending multiple mountains. Promoted by the locals as "The Back of the Dragon," it lives up to its billing. If you like the more famous " Tail of the Dragon" at Deal's Gap in NC/TN, you owe it to yourself to come experience this world class motorcycle road. {{s-end
016 HV-016 is a former military unit of Norway, that was a part of the Home Guard. It was established after 1985 to "stop terror- or sabotage actions that could weaken or paralyze Norway's ability to mobilize its military and its ability to resist". ...
State Route 016 State Route 016 State Route 016