While traveling through Colorado I wanted to check out some of the many campgrounds available that have unique features. The state is filled with options for travelers looking for everything from the average to the unique for sure. I wanted to find something which was right on target for a tent campers while also providing a great budget friendly option near Greeley. That is when I stumbled upon Missile Site Park located only a short distance from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Campground Review:
Full Video Review. CLICK HERE
The park itself is open year round however camping does not officially begin until June 1st. Regular season at the site runs from June to October, during which time all facilities are open for usage, this includes a bath house with running water and an RV dump site.
So what is there to do when it is not open you might ask? Well the thing that makes this site unique is that throughout the year you can visit a very special and unique portion of the site, the missile silo site, used during the cold war.
Constructed originally for usage in 1961 and deactivated in 1965, the site was one of four sites which were used as a part of the Atlas E program in Weld County. Now just a few hundred yards from the campground, you can take tours by appointment of the facility and see some of the many items which explain the cold war, the contribution the site played and the history surrounding one of the most tumultuous times in the United States. And best of all it is FREE!!
If you do happen to visit during the regular season, you can have a front row seat to some of the most amazing views of the valley and flatlands surrounding the Greeley area with a mountain view in the distance. Sites are $20 for tent campers or RVs and amenities include the raw basics: picnic table and grill. But one advantage of staying here is that you have great outdoor spaces to spread out in, spaces are relatively well spaced so you won’t be right on top of your neighbor and will be able to enjoy placing up to 2 tents on the spaces.
One of my favorite things about this campsite was that picnic tables are all covered. During the heat of summer this could prove to be essential since there is no water at the property available for individual campers.
One downfall of this site however is that there are no reservations available for the spaces. First come first serve can be tricky depending on time of year, so arrive early if planning on camping at the location.
For Booking Information For The Missile Site CLICK HERE
Tips:
- Remember to bring your ball or horseshoes! The site has great outdoor spaces for families to enjoy activities together.
- Call ahead for tours of the missile site. While tours can be scheduled Monday through Friday if you are only going to be staying a single day, make sure you book your tour in advance to align with your trip. I tried to book a tour same day and they could not accommodate me.
Product Review:
Full Product Review CLICK HERE
I wanted to check out a variety of sunscreen options to help me along all of my adventures and had the opportunity to check out the Stream 2 Sea Tinted Sports Sunscreen while on this adventure as a Dyrt Ranger. I was very eager to test an option which could provide coverage and options for me to use as an alternative to wearing tinted moisturizer or makeup. While I realize this isn’t a concern for all campers, for me this is a big one, I wanted something which would blend well or could stand alone on days I wasn’t feeling like rocking a full face.
Upon opening the packaging I was a little afraid of the coloration, it looked quite dark despite being considered to be a natural tone. Maybe in my head my version of natural is a bit more pale than others.
I first performed a patch test on my arm and hand, something I recommend anyone do when trying a new product on their skin. Though the ingredients are much more natural than your typical sunscreens you find, it is always best to try a small area first before applying to the entire body.
When doing the test, I noticed that the coloration of the product still was looking a bit darker than my skin when applied, however after a few moments of allowing it to set it started to blend down much closer to my actual tone.
The lotion was not as thin to apply as many other sunscreens I had tried, it was easy to move on the skin but didn’t feel tacky and quickly absorbed into the skin leaving it moisturized feeling but not oily or greasy. I allowed it to continue to sit for 20 minutes before finally determining that I would now try it on my face, this is a face and body product.
I put it on my face without makeup and noticed it allowed me to have a sun kissed glow look without actually having had any sun. It did not have a hard blend line at the jawline or in any areas which might not have been rubbed in as well. It seemed to match my tones and create an even canvas.
The sunscreen is destined to be water resilient and can last up to 80 minutes in hard sweat or water. I noticed that after 80 minutes or normal activity it was still holding in tact and hadn’t become runny or discolored. I did notice over time that after reapplying since I wasn’t really being “sport” active that it did feel a bit oily in my naturally more oily areas.
I would definitely feel comfortable using this sunscreen by itself or under my make up, however I would probably not wear a full coverage foundation which tends to be heavier on the skin if using this product below. I also would stray away from moisturizing my skin within hours of putting the lotion on my face.
As for my body, I found this to be perfect product for evening out my tones on my shoulders and arms and while my arms were exposed all day I did not experience any burn despite this only being a SPF of 30. Usually I am having to use a much higher SPF in other products to not worry about burning.
***UPDATE*** Overall I would rate this particular sunscreen a 4 of 5 stars because it is a little dark when first using. I liked how durable it was but also found it to be over time a bit heavy when layering every 80 minutes as directed. I wore this several days while traveling through the state and noticed that on my face specifically it did start to combine with my natural oils and create less coverage so it had to be reapplied. By the end of the day I was wiping off a considerable amount of product onto my make up wipe even when not wearing any make up and this started to reflect in my skin quality when wearing over the span. I would definitely recommend for a day at a time of wearing but not as an every day product for someone with combination skin on their face. My body did not experience the same issue and because it is less oily I had no problems.
TIPS:
- While they do have a larger size I would suggest sticking with the 3 ounce for travel, not only is it TSA approved for beach destinations but it is also the best size for keeping in your bag for your destination. They also have a small 1 ounce version great for a smaller bag or for your day to day.
- Remember reapplying is important to keep consistency of product especially when being active. Every 80 minutes a quick once over will be enough to keep your product in tact and protect you against both UVA and UVB.
Legend
Guide
Scout
Traveler
