Highlights of the San Juan Skyway

The brawny and pine-furrowed Rockies lounge around the San Juan Skyway, and their uneven ridges yield to tree-packed forests, flashing streams, and slate blue lakes. The scene extends into stretches of breezy grasslands divided occasionally by hand-hewn weathered fences. This byway is known as the Million Dollar Highway not only for its connection to gold and silver mining, but also for its first-class scenery.

The following tour begins in Mesa Verde National Park and ends in the town of Ouray. If you are beginning the tour from Ouray, simply begin at the bottom of the list and work your way up.

Mesa Verde National Park: At this park, explore cliff dwellings made by the Anasazi Indians. These dwellings were mysteriously abandoned by the Anasazi approximately 200 years before Columbus discovered America.

Durango: This authentic Old West town, founded in 1880, still retains its Victorian charm. Restored historic landmarks line downtown streets, while nearby ski resorts beckon to adventurous winter travelers.

Mesa Verde
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Mesa Verde National Park offers visitors an outstanding view into the lives
of the ancient Pueblo people who once inhabited these cliff dwellings.

Silverton: This remote mining community can be reached either by taking the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad or by driving over the 10,910-foot Molas Divide Pass. Many of the beautiful Victorian buildings in Silverton are registered as National Historical Sites.

Ghost towns: The ghost towns of Howardsville, Eureka, and Animas Forks are all located within 14 miles of Silverton. At Animas Forks, you can walk through the remnants of a 19th-century mining town or wander through beautiful meadows of wildflowers.

Million Dollar Highway: The section of highway from Silverton to Ouray has been named the Million Dollar Highway because of the immense amounts of silver and gold that were carted through these passes. This road is quite possibly the most beautiful section of byway anywhere in the country and is not to be missed.

From ancient cliff dwellings to historic mining communities, Colorado's San Juan Skyway is a drive rich with culture, history, and amazing scenery.

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