The San Juan Skyway Scenic and Historic Byway is a 236-mile loop through southwestern Colorado that links Durango, mountain towns, mining country, and major heritage sites across the San Juan Mountains. Beginning and ending in Durango, it passes the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park, follows the Dolores River into the San Juan National Forest, and reaches high mountain passes including Lizard Head Pass and Red Mountain Pass, its highest point. The route also connects Telluride, Ouray, Silverton, and dramatic stretches such as the Million Dollar Highway. Its development grew from earlier railroad and transportation networks that connected remote mining camps and mountain communities, and it later gained national and state scenic designations.