Delta County Quality of Life

Delta County is located in a large mountain valley at the confluence of the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers. Just south of the Grand Mesa (the world's largest flat-top mountain), Delta County offers a mild climate with warm, dry summers and moderate winters.

The climate and setting of the Delta area are ideal for year-round outdoor activities. State and national parks surround this area and offer varied recreational choices, including skiing, gold-medal fishing, hiking and hunting within an hour's drive.

Delta County's wide range of elevation - with a low of 4,758 feet and a high of 11,396 feet - allows for secluded valleys within the county. These sheltered, quiet valleys provide a perfect environment for growing unique fruits and vegetables that grow in few places in the world.

Delta County has shown steady growth in the number of farms between 1987 and 1997. In 1987, the number of farms in the region was 900, but had reached 1,041 farms by 1997.

Climate
	Average Mean Temperature	Precipitation
January	26º F	.96"
April	43º F	.87"
July	74º F	.96"
October	45º F	2.68"

Seasonal
Number of Days of Sunshine Per Year	300+
Average Growing Season	143 days
Average Annual Rainfall	7.7"
Average Annual Snowfall	16"

Distance to Other Cities
To Major Cities		To Points of Interest
Denver, Colorado	276	Grand Mesa	25
Salt Lake City, Utah	322	Colorado National Monument	50
Las Vegas, Nevada	546	Powderhorn Ski Resort	46
Phoenix, Arizona	617	Black Canyon Nat'l Monument	40
Los Angeles, California	821	Blue Mesa Reservoir	60
Kansas City, Missouri	877	Telluride	93
Dallas, Texas	931	Crested Butte	116
San Francisco, California	1,056	Vail	150
Chicago, Illinois	1,277	Arches National Park	160
Detroit, Michigan	1,544
Atlanta, Georgia	1,678

Transportation

Airports

Four airports service Delta County:

• Delta County Airport. Blake Field is a full-service public airport that serves local private and corporate aircraft. The runway extends 5,600 feet and can handle small jet aircraft.
• Paonia Regional Airport. Northfork Aviation is a full-service airport that serves private aircraft with a 4,500 foot runway.
• Montrose Regional Airport. Located 22 miles southeast of the City of Delta, Montrose Regional Airport offers daily commercial air service to Denver and Phoenix.
• Walker Field Airport. Located 40 miles west of Delta County in Grand Junction, Walker Field is served by three major airlines and offers daily flights to Denver, Phoenix and Salt Lake City.

Delivery Services

Numerous motor freight companies serve Delta County. Several express companies (such as Federal Express, UPS and Roadway Express) provide overnight delivery services.

Rail

Passenger rail service provided by Amtrak, is within 30 miles of Delta County. Union Pacific stops in the City of Delta, and is the link for transporting all types of freight around the world.

Highways

Delta County is centrally located in the Western Slope of Colorado and can easily be accessed by U.S. Highways 50 and 550, and State Highways 92, 133, 65 and 348. The major combinations of U.S. 50 and 550 running North and South through the Western Slope serves as the only major North/South connection for the western half of the state.

Construction on U.S. Highway 50 is complete and is now a four-lane highway. Access to Interstate 70 takes approximately 30 minutes.

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