Things to Do in Tazewell, VA for Riders and Drivers
Searching for things to do in Tazewell, VA, usually begins with the sound of an engine on Virginia Route 16. Back of the Dragon brings motorcycle riders and performance-car drivers into town for its mountain curves, elevation changes, and constantly shifting rhythm, but experienced visitors know the trip should not end as soon as the road reaches Main Street.
Your Tazewell adventure starts on Route 16, but the real magic happens when you slow down for the gathering places, side roads, local food, and mountain history that make this trip unforgettable.
Start or finish at the Back of the Dragon Center, trade tight corners for the open valley roads around Burke’s Garden, or take a quieter loop toward Lake Witten. Whether you arrive alone, with a riding club, or behind the wheel of a sports car, Tazewell gives you enough road and local character to make a full weekend out of the trip.
Ride the Back of the Dragon
Begin Your Route 16 Adventure in Tazewell
For most enthusiasts, this is the reason they came. Back of the Dragon needs no introduction, only a full tank and a clear head. Back of the Dragon follows a 32-mile section of Virginia Route 16 between Tazewell and Marion, crossing three mountain ranges and delivering more than 400 curves through Southwest Virginia.
The curve count gets attention, but it does not tell the whole story. The real character comes from how quickly the road changes. One section asks for steady braking and a clean line through repeated bends. Another opens just long enough to show the next Appalachian ridge before the road folds back into the mountain.
Local riders know not to judge the entire route by the opening miles outside town. Route 16 tightens, climbs, drops, and changes surface exposure as it moves away from Tazewell. A corner in full sun may be dry while the next shaded section still carries moisture.
Ride your own ride. Back of the Dragon is at its best when you find a smooth rhythm instead of chasing speed, and that’s when the road really comes alive. Stay in your lane, leave margin for local traffic, and save the route stories for Main Street after everyone arrives safely.
Turn the Ride Into a Longer Mountain Loop
A run from Tazewell toward Marion is a great way to anchor your day, and it leaves plenty of room to build something bigger around it. Many riders use Tazewell as their meeting point, make a pass across Route 16, then return for food, fuel, or another loop through the surrounding mountain roads.
Before leaving town, check your tires, brakes, fuel, weather, and available daylight. There is no universal tire-pressure number for Back of the Dragon because the correct setting depends on the motorcycle or vehicle, tire model, load, and manufacturer guidance. Use the recommended cold pressures for your setup rather than copying another rider’s track-day settings.
Mountain weather can also change faster than conditions around Main Street suggest. Rain may move across one ridge while the pavement near the Welcome Center remains dry. After a storm, expect the possibility of runoff, gravel, small branches, or leaves collecting near the edge of a corner.
Groups should choose clear regrouping points before the first rider pulls away. Do not make less-experienced riders chase the front of the pack. The best group run is one where everyone has room to ride their own ride and knows where the next stop will be.
Use the official Plan Your Trip guide when mapping your visit.
Visit the Back of the Dragon Welcome Center
Start or End the Adventure on Main Street
592 Main Street is where the Back of the Dragon community comes to life, with riders and drivers swapping stories after every run. Riders line up outside, drivers compare notes about the route, and first-time visitors get a better sense of what lies beyond the northern end of Route 16.
If you are trailering motorcycles into Tazewell, meeting a club, or waiting for the rest of your group, the center gives everyone an obvious destination instead of trying to coordinate at an unfamiliar fuel stop. It also keeps the start of the day connected to the people and town behind the route.
Inside, you can look over riding information, browse Back of the Dragon merchandise, and talk about current conditions with people familiar with the area. That local conversation can be more useful than a generic route description, especially when weather has moved through the mountains.
After the run, the center becomes the place where everyone compares favourite sections, missed shifts, clean lines, changing conditions, and the view that almost distracted them at the wrong moment.
Stay for Pizza, Brews, and Events
The ride will keep you sharp for 32 miles straight, so when you roll back into Tazewell, it’s time to relax and enjoy it. Dragon Fired Pizza and the Back of the Dragon Brewery make it easy to stay on Main Street instead of immediately climbing back into the truck or heading for the highway.
This is also where the enthusiast-focused character of the destination becomes clear. You are likely to see touring motorcycles, cruisers, sport bikes, roadsters, pony cars, and club groups sharing the same stop, even if they approached Route 16 in completely different ways.
The venue hosts live music, rallies, ride gatherings, and community activities throughout the year. Check the current events calendar before travelling because schedules can change.
Planning around an event can turn a quick route run into a full Tazewell weekend. It also gives the group somewhere to gather after the helmets come off and the engines cool down.
Explore Downtown Tazewell
Walk Main Street After the Engines Cool
Downtown Tazewell isn’t just a stop on the way to somewhere else. It’s part of the Back of the Dragon experience itself. Main Street is part of the route culture, with the Welcome Center acting as a gathering point for people arriving from Route 16 and the surrounding Southwest Virginia roads.
After riding technical corners for much of the day, walking a few blocks gives your hands, shoulders, and concentration a chance to reset. Stop for a meal, look through local businesses, or take time to see the historic streetscape rather than treating the town as nothing more than a place to refuel.
The pace is noticeably different from the mountain. On Route 16, your attention stays on lane position, corner entry, surface changes, and traffic. On Main Street, you can finally look around, talk with your group, and decide whether the day needs another run or a slower finish.
This stop is perfect for mixed groups too, giving everyone a place to land no matter how they like to spend the day. Not everyone wants to repeat the Dragon immediately, and some passengers or family members may prefer food, shopping, or a relaxed walk while the most committed riders discuss another pass.
Check individual business hours before arriving, particularly on quieter weekdays or outside the main riding season.
Take a Scenic Drive Through Burke’s Garden
Trade Tight Curves for Open Valley Views
Just when you think you’ve seen all of Tazewell County, Burke’s Garden opens up a view unlike anything on Route 16. The high-elevation valley is enclosed by mountains, creating the broad, bowl-like landscape often associated with “God’s Thumbprint.”
The approach from Tazewell replaces the concentrated rhythm of Route 16 with rural roads, farmland, long views, and a much slower tempo. That contrast makes Burke’s Garden one of the most worthwhile attractions near Back of the Dragon, especially after a morning spent working through technical bends.
Local riders treat the valley as a community, not as an extension of a closed-course route. Expect farm equipment, residents entering driveways, cyclists, wildlife, and vehicles travelling at local-road speeds. Give agricultural traffic room and keep exhaust noise respectful near homes, farms, and churches.
The road deserves attention even when the scenery opens up. Sightlines can change around rises, and animals or slow-moving vehicles may appear with little warning.
Burke’s Garden is best enjoyed when you stop trying to collect miles and let the valley set the pace.
Add an Artisan or Local Food Stop
Don’t just ride through Burke’s Garden. Stop, browse the local goods, and take a piece of the valley home with you. Depending on current opening schedules, visitors may find regional crafts, Amish-made foods, baked goods, and other products connected to the valley.
Small rural businesses may keep limited or seasonal hours, so call or check current information before building the day around a specific stop. Cash may also be useful in areas where smaller establishments do not offer the same payment options as larger businesses in town.
The detour works particularly well on the second day of a Tazewell VA motorcycle trip. Instead of repeating the same pace and level of concentration, riders can enjoy a less demanding route while still staying surrounded by the mountains that define the region.
Do not overload this part of the itinerary. Burke’s Garden is memorable because of its open space, working landscape, and quiet roads, not because it offers a long checklist of attractions.
Discover Tazewell County’s History
Visit the Historic Crab Orchard Museum
Every rider who visits the Historic Crab Orchard Museum comes away seeing Tazewell County a little differently, with a real sense of the people and places behind the road. Exhibits connect the region’s Appalachian heritage with the lives of the people who worked and travelled through this terrain long before Route 16 became an enthusiast destination.
For riders, the museum also provides a practical weather alternative. When fog settles along the ridges or rain makes another mountain run a poor decision, an indoor history stop is more worthwhile than waiting beside the bikes and hoping the road dries immediately.
The visit can change how you see the surrounding landscape. Barns, historic buildings, old routes, and mountain gaps feel less like scenery once you understand how they shaped local work, travel, and settlement.
It is a useful reminder that the roads did not create Tazewell. They run through a community with a much longer story.
Connect the Town’s Past With Its Road Culture
Before Back of the Dragon put Tazewell on the map, this town had its own story, rooted in agriculture, mountain settlement, and the Pocahontas coalfield region. Its more recent identity also includes the riders, drivers, clubs, and events drawn to Virginia Route 16.
The Back of the Dragon story came from local recognition of a road that enthusiasts already enjoyed but that had not yet been developed into a widely known destination. The name reflects the way the mountain ranges cross the route like the raised sections along a dragon’s back.
That origin is important because it separates Back of the Dragon from a road selected by an outside travel writer. The identity grew from people who understood the terrain, saw the potential of Route 16, and wanted visitors to experience both the road and Tazewell.
Today, Main Street carries both parts of that story. It remains a small-town centre while also serving as the northern gathering point for one of Virginia’s best-known enthusiast routes.
Spend Time Outdoors Around Tazewell
Stop at Lincolnshire Park
Lincolnshire Park is the perfect nearby escape when you want to step away from the engines without leaving Tazewell behind. The park is built around Lincolnshire Lake and sits close enough to town to work as a practical stop before checking into lodging, meeting family members, or deciding whether conditions are right for another run.
Instead of treating it like a generic roadside stretch break, use the park as a proper reset. Walk near the lake, loosen up after repeated mountain corners, drink water, and assess whether the group still has the focus for more technical riding.
The setting also suits travellers who came to Tazewell with partners, children, or friends who are not spending the entire day on Route 16. It gives them a local outdoor option while riders organise the next part of the trip.
Because Lincolnshire Park is near town rather than deep in the route, it can also be useful when clouds are sitting on the higher ridges. Conditions around the lake may give you a break, but they should not be used as proof that Route 16 is clear.
Explore Cavitt’s Creek Park and Lake Witten
For a change of pace, Cavitt’s Creek Park and Lake Witten offer wooded trails and a peaceful 52-acre lake tucked away from the Dragon’s curves.
The lake supports activities including hiking, camping, paddling, and boating with electric motors. For an enthusiast group, that makes the park more than a place to stand beside the motorcycles for ten minutes. It can become a genuine half-day break during a multi-day trip.
The ride toward the park also reminds visitors that Tazewell County is not defined by one famous road. Forested local routes, creek valleys, and changing elevation continue beyond the main Back of the Dragon corridor.
Check current access, facility, and weather information before visiting, especially when planning to camp or launch a boat. Heavy rain can affect both park plans and the smaller roads used to reach outdoor areas.
After several hours of technical riding, spending time beside Lake Witten can provide the mental reset needed to enjoy the next run rather than simply enduring it.
Plan Your Tazewell Motorcycle or Driving Trip
Choose the Right Season and Riding Window
Every season brings its own version of Back of the Dragon, and local riders know there’s more to the decision than just the month on the calendar. Conditions on Main Street, along Route 16, and near the higher ridges can feel different on the same day.
In spring, rainwater may continue crossing or collecting near shaded mountain sections after roads closer to downtown appear dry. New growth can also reduce visibility around some bends as the season progresses. Check the forecast, but pay equal attention to the pavement in front of you.
Summer gives riders longer daylight, yet afternoon storms can build over the Appalachian terrain and move across the route quickly. Valley heat around Tazewell does not guarantee the same temperature or visibility after Route 16 gains elevation.
Fall brings colourful ridgelines and heavy enthusiast traffic, but it also brings shorter daylight, leaf debris, and shaded corners that may remain damp. A layer of wet leaves can reduce grip and hide gravel or uneven pavement.
Winter conditions can include freezing temperatures, ice, snow, road treatment, and debris from repeated freeze-and-thaw cycles. Do not assume a clear day in town means the entire mountain route is suitable.
Before departure, check road conditions through 511 Virginia. Leave enough daylight to finish without rushing unfamiliar corners, and be willing to change the plan when the mountain gives you a reason.
Build a Full Tazewell Itinerary
Build your Tazewell itinerary around Route 16, but don’t stop there. The best trips leave room for everything the mountains have to give.
Begin at the Back of the Dragon Center on Main Street. Meet the group, check fuel and equipment, review the route, and make sure everyone understands the next regrouping point. New riders should not feel pressured to match the quickest person in the group.
Ride Virginia Route 16 toward Marion, allowing enough time to adjust to the road instead of attacking the opening section. Stop only in safe, legal areas, and stay aware that residents and working vehicles use the same route.
Return to Tazewell for pizza, drinks, an event, or time downtown. The next morning, choose a different rhythm with Burke’s Garden, Lincolnshire Park, Cavitt’s Creek Park, Lake Witten, or the Historic Crab Orchard Museum.
Clubs and larger groups can use the official club and group trip information when organising their visit.
The best Tazewell VA motorcycle trip is rarely the one with the tightest schedule. Leave room for weather, a longer conversation on Main Street, a slower rider, or an unexpected local stop. Those unplanned moments are often what turn a good route into a trip worth repeating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best things to do in Tazewell, VA for motorcycle riders?
Begin with Back of the Dragon on Virginia Route 16, then spend time at the Back of the Dragon Center on Main Street. Riders can also add Burke’s Garden, Lincolnshire Park, Cavitt’s Creek Park, Lake Witten, downtown Tazewell, and the Historic Crab Orchard Museum to create a fuller trip.
What attractions are near Back of the Dragon?
Nearby attractions include the Back of the Dragon Center, downtown Tazewell, Burke’s Garden, the Historic Crab Orchard Museum, Lincolnshire Park, Cavitt’s Creek Park, and Lake Witten. Together, they offer scenic roads, local food, history, outdoor space, and quieter breaks between mountain runs.
Can sports-car drivers enjoy the Back of the Dragon?
Yes. Route 16 attracts sports-car drivers as well as motorcycle riders because of its changing elevation and varied corners. Drivers should stay in their lane, maintain a pace that allows for changing surface conditions, and remember that local residents, trucks, motorcycles, and other road users share the route.
Is Burke’s Garden worth adding to a Tazewell motorcycle trip?
Yes. Burke’s Garden provides a slower, more open riding experience than the tighter mountain rhythm of Route 16. Its high-elevation valley, farms, rural roads, and surrounding ridgelines make it a strong second-day route. Ride respectfully because it is also a working agricultural community.
How many days should I spend in Tazewell?
One day allows time for Back of the Dragon and a stop on Main Street. Two or three days are better for riders who also want to explore Burke’s Garden, local parks, historical sites, events, and other Southwest Virginia roads without rushing every stop.
Plan Your Back of the Dragon Adventure
The road may be what brings you to Tazewell, but the town, mountain communities, and gathering places complete the experience. Build the trip around Route 16, leave room for Main Street and Burke’s Garden, and give yourself enough time to enjoy the road without forcing the pace.
Explore Back of the Dragon and start planning your next Southwest Virginia run.