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SOUTHWEST COLORADO |
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The high mountain passes of southwest Colorado are classic mining
territory; dotted through the valleys you'll find all sorts of well-preserved
late-Victorian frontier towns. As the pioneers moved in, first illegally
and then backed by the federal government, they drove the Ute away into
the poorer land of the far southwest.
From Durango , the main town of southwest Colorado, the dramatic San
Juan Skyway completes a loop of over two hundred miles through the
mountains, north along US-550 and then back via Hwy-145 and US-160. The
stretch of road north of Durango, negotiating its way over stunning high
passes, is known as the Million Dollar Highway for the gold-laden gravel
that was used in its construction. Remote Crested Butte , to the north
of the San Juan Mountains, is a gorgeous nineteenth-century mining
village turned ski resort and one of Colorado's major attractions.
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