Burkes Garden Road

VA 623, Burkes Garden Road, Gratton Road · Tazewell → Burkes Garden

Intense14.6 mi30 min1,500 ft climbHigh point ≈ 3,500 ftOne way

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The drive

From Tazewell, this drive takes Gratton Road and Burkes Garden Road up and over the rim of Burkes Garden, an oval valley in Tazewell County about 8.5 miles long and 4 miles wide. It is the second highest valley in Virginia, at around 3,000 feet.

Surveyors in 1748 found potatoes growing where one of them, James Burke, had discarded peelings, and the name stuck. The valley is not a crater but a dome-shaped anticline where soft limestone eroded away inside harder ridges. Inside, the land is fertile farmland.

Most of the curves are on the climb. The road ends in the valley, so drivers return the same way.

Along the way

Tazewell
Burkes Garden

Elevation

1,500 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 3,500 ft

TazewellBurkes Garden

Curves

Mostly moderate, with two twisty stretches

mi 6–12mi 11–13

TazewellBurkes Garden

GentleHairpins

Good to know

The road is narrow in places.
It is a dead-end valley, so plan to return the same way.
Check VDOT 511 in winter.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Virginia 511 (VDOT).

Questions about this drive

How long is the drive to Burkes Garden from Tazewell?

It is 14.6 miles and takes about 31 minutes.

Why is it called Burkes Garden?

Surveyors in 1748 found potatoes growing where James Burke had thrown peelings, and the name stuck.

Is Burkes Garden a crater?

No. It is a dome-shaped anticline, eroded limestone inside harder ridges.

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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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