Known as the Gateway to the Canyons, Delta rests at an elevation of 4,953 feett and is surrounded by majestic mountains, deep canyons, and winding rivers, making it a jewel in the high desert. The art-loving town, which is also known as the ‘City of Murals’ features several interesting attractions, including Fort Uncompahgre, the Delta County Historical Museum, and the 265-acre riparian oasis of Confluence Park with hiking and biking trails. Delta is 45 minutes from Grand Junction (40.2 miles via US-50 E).
Sign up for one of the Ultimate Skydiving Adventures
Tucked between Grand Junction and Montrose in western Colorado and surrounded by dramatic desert landscapes, Ultimate Skydiving Adventures offers an extraordinary tandem skydiving experience in spectacular surroundings. Guests are shown a video about how the tandem jump works and then taken up to 7,500 feet above the ground where they jump with a professional skydive instructor and enjoy an exhilarating parachute ride that lasts up to five minutes. Two jump packages are offered, including at three-day 10 jumps package, that ends with Solo status, and a seven-Day 30 jump camp that ends with a skydiving license. Video or photo packages are available of the jump for guests to take home.
Address: 870 1575 Rd, Delta, CO 81416, Phone: 970-589-9490
Hike in Confluence Park
Confluence Park is a 265-acre urban park and riparian oasis surrounding the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River in Denver's bustling Lower Downtown district. The park features an array of outdoor recreational facilities, including hiking and mountain biking trails, sunny and shaded picnic spots, well-stocked fishing lakes, a safe swimming area, a fitness course, and modern restrooms. The eastern side of the South Platte River is a popular kayak run, while the western side is part of the Platte Valley Trolley route that runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend for all Denver Broncos home games.
Address: 2250 15th St, Denver, CO 80202, Phone: 720-913-1311
Play a round of golf at Devil's Thumb Golf Club
Located a few miles outside of town and nestled in the lush rolling hills beneath the Grand Mesa (video), the Devil's Thumb Golf Course is an award-winning, 18-hole championship golf course with panoramic views of the mountains surrounding the Uncompahgre Valley. Designed by Richard M. Phelps, the par 72 ‘prairie-style’ municipal course offers a unique blend of characteristics with more than 60 well-positioned bunkers and three shimmering lakes that create a challenging game for all levels of golfer. Amenities at the club include golf carts, a driving range, and an in-house professional golfer who is on hand to help with advice on game improvement, and technique tips.
Address: 9900 Devils Thumb Rd, Delta, CO 81416, Phone: 970-874-6262
See a collection of artifacts at the Delta County Museum
The Delta County Museumis dedicated to celebrating the history and heritage of Delta County and its pioneering days with a collection of artifacts and heirlooms, such as early farming and ranch utensils, clothing, toys, housewares and more. Opened in 1956 to preserve the history of Delta County for future generations, the Delta County Museum has been renovated over the years to incorporate the extensive collection of historically significant objects collected by the Society, covering many areas of history, ranging from the railroad industry, shipping and logging to the military, Native American culture, and sports. Today, the museum is managed by the Delta County Historical Society and is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Address: 251 Meeker St, Delta, CO 81416, Phone: 970-874-8721
Step back in time at Fort Uncompahgre
Originally established as a fur trading post in 1828 by trader Antoine Robidoux and located two miles away from the confluence of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers, Fort Uncompahgre was abandoned in 1844 when war broke out between the Mexicans and the Ute tribes. Today, the old trading post has been reconstructed to replicate the original site and features authentic dirt floors, tables, and chairs, working tools, animals hides and piles of furs. Visitors to the historic site will take a step back into time to the mid-1820s and get the opprtunity to learn more about the earliest days of commerce in the region.
Address: 440 North Palmer Street, Delta, Colorado, Phone: 970-874-8349
Have a picnic in Sweitzer Lake State Park
Sweitzer Lake State Park is a 210-acre park just a mile south of Delta that offers an array of recreational activities, including boating, swimming, water-skiing, picnicking, and wildlife watching. Established in 1960, the park includes a 137-acre reservoir on which watersports can be enjoyed, and the shorelines are filled with a variety of bird species, including waterfowl. The lake boasts boat ramps for launching craft, sandy beaches and grassy picnic sites along the shoreline, however, camping is prohibited.
Address: 1735 E Rd, Delta, CO 81416
Spend a night at Island Lake Campground
Despite its name, Island Lake Campground is not located on a lake but nestled in a thick grove of mature spruce in the Grand Mesa National Forest. The camping site boasts 41 sites with electric hook-ups and potable pressurized water and has three vault toilets. There are plenty of hiking and mountain biking trails nearby, as well as the 44-acre Island Lake, which features a boat ramp for launching craft, a wheelchair accessible fishing pier, and fish cleaning station. Recreational activities in and around the lake include boating, swimming, fishing, and wildlife watching.
Address: Island Lake Campground, Delta, Colorado 81416, Phone: 877-444-6777
See a show at the Egyptian Theatre
The Egyptian Theatre is a historic 750-seat theater housed in an Egyptian Revival movie house. Built in 1928 at the time when thematically-designed cinemas were all the fashion, the theater was designed by architect Montana Fallis, who also designed the Mayan Theatre in Denver. The theater was operated by Fox Intermountain Theatres Inc. during the 1940s before falling into disrepair and being out of commission for many years. It was beautifully restored to its former glory in 1996 and reopened as a community theater, added to the National Register of Historic Places, and continues to show movies today.
Address: 452 Main St, Delta, CO 81416
