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 among the clouds, with dramatic views in fair weather east across the rolling Piedmont plateau and west across the Shenandoah Valley to the Appalachian Mountains beyond. Rather than serving as the shortest distance between two points, it is 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 begun in 1931 and completed in 1939, and a construction cost per mile of $50,000. Shenandoah National Park was established in 1935 on lands donated by the Commonwealth of Virginia; land once devastated by logging and farming has returned to forest covering more than 95 percent of the park, and Congress designated two-fifths of the park as wilderness in 1976. More than 500 miles of trails lead beyond the road to secluded places in this recycled land.