Scenic Delta is situated just west of Black Canyon of the Gunnison, where the 2,900-foot gorges carved by the snaking Gunnison River will leave you breathless. This town of 6,400 residents has all the amenities, including several grassy city parks. Keep your eyes peeled: seven buildings downtown act as canvasses for local artists: murals depicting the local economy, history and natural surroundings. Another town symbol at the entrance to Delta is Ute Council Tree, an 85-foot cottonwood, once a gathering point for tribal discussions. Today the tree symbolizes the growing connections between Colorado Utes and the Western Slope's other residents.
Housed in an old firehouse, the Delta County Museum recounts the Western Slope's cultural heritage and natural history. The butterfly exhibit contains some of the only-known specimens from now extinct species. Step through time into the Fort Uncompahgre Living History Museum at the entrance to the 265-acre Confluence Park, where authentically garbed interpreters guide visitors through an old fur trading post.
Just outside Delta, dinosaur buffs should make tracks to Dry Mesa Quarry, the site where archeologists first discovered Brachiosaurus and Ultrasaurus bones. This dig-in-process is open to the public.
Community Resources:
Delta Area Chamber of Commerce
301 Main Street
Delta, CO 81416
970-874-8616