Highway 16 is part of a three-state route 16 that connects the Charlotte region with northwestern West Virginia.

It crosses that creek and heads east (downstream) alongside it to the junction with U.S. Route 58 at Mouth of Wilson.

After a flat area near Sugar Grove, SR 16 again heads uphill, north and northwest across Brushy Mountain and the Appalachian Trail.

It then runs northwest, following Staley Creek downhill past Attoway and Furnace Hill and through several gaps into Marion.

SR 16 enters the town of Marion on Commerce Street, meeting Interstate 81 and then State Route 217 (the Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute driveways).

At Main Street (U.S. Route 11), SR 16 turns northeast, overlapping US 11 out of downtown to Park Boulevard.

SR 16 turns northeast along US 19/460 Business into Tazewell, meeting the State Route 16 Alternate (Fairground Road) shortcut along the way.

SR 16 begins to rise again, passing Adria on its way to the community of Stony Ridge, then crossing the Tennessee Valley Divide again there.

It is a noted route of 32 miles (51 km) that has several hundred sharp turns, scenic overlooks and is a favorite of bicycle, motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts from several countries.

[4] The Back of the Dragon crosses Big Walker, Brushy and Clinch Mountains along its route that runs from Hungry Mother State Park north of Marion for 32 miles (51 km) 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.

[8] The relocation was not made, but the spur and its continuation north to West Virginia was added, and was numbered State Route 117 in the 1923 renumbering.