This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
While a 21/2-hour one way drive from the Salt Lake area to the western Utah town of Delta might seem a bit long for a wildlife viewing trip, anyone who has participated in the annual Snow Goose Days knows it's worth the effort.
The annual event is scheduled February 24 and 25. It is held at and near Gunnison Bend Reservoir just west of Delta. Admission is free.
I was asked to be a speaker at the event one year and went down on Friday for an overnight stay. Many Wasatch Front residents have not visited Delta because it is a ways off Interstate 15 on U.S. Highway 6, a road dubbed "the loneliest road in America."
It's an interesting town worth exploring.
Delta has a couple of interesting small museums, the Great Basin and Topaz facilities. It is possible to enjoy some great Mexican restaurants or mingle with the locals at The Rancher. The town is near Little Sahara Sand Dunes, an interesting area to visit. One route takes visitors through Eureka, where most of the town is on the National Historic District.
The event also includes fun runs, a craft fair, quilt show and skeet shoot.
The big draw, though, are the birds. In an average year, about 20,000 white snow geese are usually in the area. Biologists are on hand to answer questions and see the birds through spotting scopes.
The geese usually return from nearby fields to the reservoir between 9 and 10:30 a.m. They spend much of the day there before taking off the feed between 4 and 6 p.m.
Biologists will be on hand to see where the fields the migrating geese feed and will be offering directions on how to get there.
Visitors should bring binoculars or a spotting scope and be dressed for any kind of weather.
For details, log on to http://www.deltagoosefestival.com.
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