Back of the Dragon

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54.0 km

Length

+1,361 m

Ascent

−1,278 m

Descent

1,053 m

Highest point

Hairpins

10.1%

Max gradient

1h 12min

Drive time (approx.)

Weather on the road

At the highest point · 1,053 m

8 °C clearsky

wind 3 m/s · clouds 0%

At the start

11 °C clearsky

wind 4 m/s · clouds 0%

	Min	Max	Wind
Friday 23 Oct	1 °C	15 °C	3 m/s	clearsky
Saturday 24 Oct	3 °C	14 °C	4 m/s	clearsky
Sunday 25 Oct	1 °C	14 °C	3 m/s	clearsky

Weather data by MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Updated 10/23/26, 12:47 AM

Terrain and when to go

Landscape: Hill and low mountain road
Surface: asphalt 98%

Roads nearby

The New River Gorge Bridge

10.5 km
Length: +100 m
Ascent

The Valley Pike

464.7 km
Length: +4,140 m
Ascent

The Big Walker Mountain Scenic Byway

34.3 km
Length: +522 m
Ascent

54.0 km · 12 hairpins · 1,053 m

Elevation profile

What does Back of the Dragon look like?

Fall morning at Hungry Mother (22401480012) · vastateparksstaff · CC BY 2.0

2017-06-12 20 18 36 View east along Virginia State Route 348 (Hungry Mother Drive) at Virginia State Route 16 (Park Boulevard-B F Buchanan Highway) at Hungry Mother State Park in Smyth County, Virginia · Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0

First Day Hike 2015 (15601609834) · vastateparksstaff · CC BY 2.0

James Wynn House front · Nyttend · Public domain

Smyth, R.T. Greer and Company · Nyttend · Public domain

TazewellCoCH · Erechtheus · CC BY-SA 3.0

Photos come from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown; each opens its source page.

Start

Marion

36.83524, -81.51587

Finish

Tazewell

37.12266, -81.52020

Along the road

Fuel

Exxon 0.0 km · 651 m

Sunoco 0.0 km · 651 m

Cargo 0.9 km · 660 m

Gas'n Go 1.7 km · 675 m

Citgo 1.8 km · 680 m

Marathon 51.8 km · 752 m

1 unnamed place along the road, from 0.0 km to 51.8 km.

Restaurants and cafés

The Wooden Pickle 0.0 km · 651 m

Downtown Pioneer 0.0 km · 651 m

Yummy Yummy Japanese Restaurant 0.0 km · 651 m

Sisters Cafe & Gifts 0.0 km · 651 m

Macado's 0.0 km · 651 m

Moon Dog Brick Oven 0.0 km · 651 m

Pizza Perfect 1.0 km · 660 m

Pizza Hut 1.6 km · 674 m

New China House 1.9 km · 679 m

Hungry Mother Grill and Grocery 5.1 km · 666 m

The Happy Goat 52.4 km · 768 m

Old Virginia Chophouse 52.5 km · 768 m

1 more

1 unnamed place along the road, from 0.0 km to 52.5 km.

Toilets

2 unnamed places along the road, from 5.9 km to 7.7 km.

Parking

Hungry Mother State Park Visitors Center 7.6 km · 671 m

41 unnamed places along the road, from 6.0 km to 53.6 km.

Viewpoints

Molly's Knob Platform Overlook 7.2 km · 680 m

Clyburn Ridge Overlook 7.3 km · 677 m

Lake Road Overlook 7.6 km · 672 m

Walker's Mountain Overlook 13.4 km · 1,053 m