Skyline Drive is among the most famous scenic roads in America’s national parks and for decades has given millions of visitors easy access to the mountains and sky of Shenandoah National Park. It follows the winding backbone of the Blue Ridge for 105 miles, sometimes passing among the clouds, with dramatic views in fair weather of the rolling Piedmont plateau and its patchwork of farms to the east, and the Shenandoah Valley and Appalachian Mountains beyond to the west. Rather than serving as the shortest route between two points, it was designed for forward movement, with overlooks and trails inviting travelers to stop and explore. Its statistics include a total distance of 105 miles, a maximum speed limit of 35 mph, a minimum non-stop driving time of 3 hours, a highest elevation of 3,650 feet above sea level at Mile 41.7, 71 overlooks, construction beginning in 1931 and ending in 1939, and a construction cost per mile of $50,000. Shenandoah National Park was established in 1935 using lands donated by the Commonwealth of Virginia. The forest, once devastated by logging and farming, has returned and now covers more than 95 percent of the park. In 1976, Congress designated two-fifths of the park as wilderness, and more than 500 miles of trails lead beyond Skyline Drive to secluded places in this recycled land.