“Tall Tales and Taller Trolls: Minnesota’s Fairytale Adventure Begins”
Minnesota’s North Woods have always been ripe for storytelling—where else can you find a lumberjack the size of a grain silo and an ox blue enough to make a Smurf blush? But come summer 2024, the Land of 10,000 Lakes is adding a new chapter to its tall-tale tradition: trolls. And we’re not talking about the grumpy kind under bridges—we’re talkin’ whopping, wood-carved, wonder-sized trolls that got folks lacing up their boots and heading into the forest on a full-blown scavenger hunt.
Danish Artist Thomas Dambo
At the center of the hoopla? A golden rabbit and the biggest troll yet: Long Leif. Danish recycling wizard Thomas Dambo and a hearty crew of helpers built this 36-foot-tall timber titan. He now stands tall and lanky, like your uncle, after three cups of coffee, just outside Detroit Lakes near the Detroit Mountain ski resort.
But Leif isn’t out there alone. He’s joined by a whole crew of his quirky kinfolk. There’s Ronny Funny Face, who’s been spotted peeking around a tree at Dunton Locks like he’s trying to catch a whiff of hotdish, and Jacob EverEar, lounging riverside by the Otter Tail like he’s got all the time in the world. These aren’t just sculptures—they’re characters straight out of a modern Minnesota fairytale. And together, they’ve turned our forests into a storybook, one troll-sized footprint at a time.
The Scandinavian artist’s work promotes transforming scrap wood and trash into art while creating an interactive fairy tale that guides participants on a treasure hunt for the five trolls, one villainous Golden Rabbit, and three magic mirror portals.
Keep it hush-hush. Loose lips sink magical ships.
Grab your walking shoes and maybe a bag of trail mix because Minnesota’s latest outdoor adventure is equal parts nature hike, fairy tale, and treasure hunt. Scattered from Fargo to Perham, a ragtag bunch of trolls have taken up residence in parks, forests, and trails—all marked on a downloadable map for those brave (or curious) enough to seek them out. And somewhere, hidden better than your grandma’s cookie stash, lies the mysterious Golden Rabbit. Just a tip—if you do happen to find it… shhh! Keep it hush-hush. Loose lips sink magical ships.
This troll takeover didn’t just happen overnight. Thomas Dambo, the world’s leading troll-whisperer from Denmark, along with his globe-trotting crew and more than 300 volunteers (some who came farther than a snowbird from Duluth in January), spent four whirlwind weeks building the largest troll exhibit in the entire United States—right here in our backyard. And because birds are a big deal around here, they didn’t stop at trolls—they also crafted more than 800 birdhouses, turning this corner of Minnesota into an avian Airbnb hotspot.
With Long Leif and his gang bringing Dambo’s global troll count to 138, these recycled giants now delight kids and confuse GPS apps in over 20 countries across five continents. They’ve got shaggy twig hair, bark eyebrows, and faces that make you wonder if they know something you don’t.
Want to see where the magic starts? Head to Detroit Lakes’ City Park, where you’ll meet Alexa, a big-hearted, spoon-clutching troll on a mission. She’s looking for ingredients to whip up an elixir potent enough to break the Golden Rabbit’s spell—cast with eyes made from, get this, motorcycle helmets because, of course.
In Minnesota, even our fairy tales come with a side of practicality.