McDowell County's Head of the Dragon offers a 91-mile mountain loop

The Head of the Dragon is a 91-mile McDowell County loop built for motorcycles and sports cars, but the smartest way to use it is as a town-by-town county tour. It starts in Kimball and runs through Welch, Iaeger, Bradshaw, War, Bishop, Elkhorn, Northfork, and Keystone before returning to Kimball, which gives first-time riders a clear route through the county’s best-known communities.

Start in Kimball and follow the map before you roll

Kimball is the cleanest place to begin because the route officially starts and ends there. The route map separates the trip into a main route and a Coalwood route, so it pays to decide which version you want before you leave town.

The Head of the Dragon is not a simple straight shot. It follows McDowell County back roads, and the official site pairs the map with lodging-and-food guidance. If you are planning an overnight or want to break the day into manageable pieces, Kimball is the obvious launch point and Welch is the next natural anchor.

Expect tight curves, narrow valleys, and constant attention

The loop uses sections of Route 52, Route 80, Route 83, Route 16, and Route 161. That mix of road numbers tells you what the day feels like: sustained Appalachian curves, changing grades, and a road profile that keeps you alert instead of relaxed.

The route rises and falls through terrain that rolls roughly between 1,000 and 2,000 feet, so a steady hand matters more than speed. First-time riders often make the same mistake on roads like this: they enter bends too quickly, drift wide, and spend the rest of the corner recovering instead of enjoying the view. Smooth braking, clean lines, and conservative corner speed are the safest habits here, especially on blind curves where the valley walls limit sight distance and leave little margin for error.

Sports-car drivers should treat the route the same way. The Head of the Dragon rewards patience, not aggression, and the narrow mountain setting makes it a poor place to discover what your car does at the edge of traction.

Use the towns as your pull-off points

The loop’s biggest advantage is not just the road itself, but the way it connects McDowell County’s communities in one circuit. Those towns can function as reset points for fuel, food, and rest.

For first-time riders, that local structure is the safest way to plan the day. Stop in town rather than on the shoulder, especially on the tighter stretches where a casual roadside pull-off can quickly become a hazard. The route includes a lodging-and-food section, and the loop works best when you build your schedule around county businesses instead of trying to push straight through.

The practical rhythm is simple:

• Leave with a full tank in Kimball.
• Use Welch or War as mid-route checkpoints for a break.
• Plan meals and any overnight stay around the towns on the loop.
• Keep the Coalwood route in mind if you want a longer version of the trip.

A route that already has a local calendar

The first annual Head of the Dragon Motorcycle Ride was presented on September 16, 2017.

The Town of Kimball lists the 2026 Head of the Dragon Ride for June 20, 2026, with registration starting at 9:00 a.m. and kickstands up at 11:00 a.m. The event includes a car show, bounce houses, food, and other entertainment. The ride is tied to the Kimball Phoenix Festival and the Kimball Kid’s Reunion, and it also supports the Council of the Southern Mountains.

Why the loop fits McDowell County’s tourism mix

West Virginia Tourism and Explore McDowell list the Head of the Dragon alongside other county draws such as the Hatfield-McCoy ATV Trails and the Rocket Boys legacy.

McDowell County also has scenic wildlife management areas, which makes the road trip easier to combine with other outdoor stops. A rider can treat the Dragon as the spine of the day, then build around it with food, lodging, and another local attraction nearby.

Anyone who completes all four dragon series routes earns the official site’s “Dragon Master” title.