June 18, 2026 (Thu.) – Isak Heartstone & Fish Creek Falls.

Today’s plan was to drive to Breckenridge, CO to find Isak Heartstone, one of the famous Dambo trolls. Colorado wasn’t originally on our itinerary, but since we were sort of nearby and had the time, we added Steamboat Springs as a quick detour so we could check this troll off our list. We also planned to visit Fish Creek Falls later in the day on our way back.

Lynn was up early at 6:15 and walked at 8:30. It was a chilly 59° in Steamboat Springs — a nice change from the heat. Since the campground is literally one single row of RVs, her walking loop options were… limited. One lap around the row is almost half a mile, so she did four loops. It was mind‑numbingly boring, but thank goodness for audiobooks. Kirk got up around 9, we had a light breakfast, and hit the road for Breckenridge around 10:30. It’s a two‑hour drive, so we settled in for a long day behind the wheel.

We made a pit stop in Kremmling at a liquor store because Kirk is still on the hunt for good whiskey. Unfortunately, we keep striking out — no one seems to carry anything over 100 proof, which is his preference (he likes his whiskey to taste like gasoline).

We arrived at the Breckenridge Ice Arena parking lot around 1 p.m. The walk to the troll is flat, easy, and less than 10 minutes. It wasn’t too crowded — maybe 10 people — but everyone wanted photos, and some lingered like they were waiting for the troll to come alive. We took a deep breath and waited patiently. This was our 28th Dambo troll sighting, which feels like a pretty impressive accomplishment. There’s another troll in Victor, CO, but it’s two hours farther and wasn’t in the cards for this trip. To our friends and family in Loveland and Colorado Springs — sorry we didn’t make it that far! We’ll be back.

By 1:30 p.m., we were back in town having lunch at Bird & Cow. Breckenridge is stunning — everything is so green it almost looks edited (again, pictures don’t do it justice). We ate outside since the weather was perfect. Then we grabbed cookies across the street (they were… fine) and stopped at another liquor store. Still no luck on the whiskey front. At least we found a troll sticker that covered both the troll and Breckenridge in one go. Our sticker board is getting full, so we’re trying to be more selective.

Around 2 p.m., we headed back to Steamboat Springs to check out Fish Creek Falls. We arrived around 4:30 and encountered an interesting family at the trailhead who appeared to be filming a video blog. Both parents were narrating every sign and rock like they were hosting a nature documentary. It made it awkward to take photos without ending up in their video, and we didn’t want to talk over their “production.” We sped up a bit to stay out of their filming zone.

Fish Creek Falls is a 280‑foot waterfall, and we took the Lower Falls Trail — an easy quarter‑mile paved walk. There’s a more difficult trail to the top, but we skipped it. For us sea‑level people, even the “easy” hikes feel like they come with a built‑in altitude challenge, so the more “moderate” Upper Falls Trail would’ve definitely left us panting. The waterfall was gorgeous — lush greenery, a powerful rush of water, and a beautiful scene that made the short walk completely worthwhile. Again, pictures don’t do it justice.

By 5:30 p.m., we were back at the campground ready to relax. Unfortunately, our neighbors had five young girls who basically set up their play area where it sounded like they were in our campsite. Our solution? Break out the back patio where it was a little bit quieter. It was a beautiful evening, and we ended up chatting with some neighbors from Loveland, CO. We even spotted a couple of deer grazing in the pasture.

Our outdoor relaxation didn’t last long — the mosquitos came out for their dinner (us), so we retreated inside. The rest of the evening was dinner in the RV and a movie. A long but satisfying day.

Weather – High 74*, Low 46*. Winds 2-14 mph with 25 mph gusts. No rain, no humidity.

Traffic – None.

Food – Bird & Cow in Breckenridge, CO.

Notable – Isak Heartstone (Dambo Troll), Fish Creek Falls.

Screen time – Project Hail Mary – very good, but long.