Discover the Trolls in Detroit Lakes

Looking for something fun to end your summer bucket list? Take a trip to Detroit Lakes to find the Thomas Dambo Trolls!

I have a confession to make– I planned an ENTIRE trip to Detroit Lakes with my family because I wanted to see the Thomas Dambo Trolls. Just imagine larger-than-life trolls made out of recycled material popping up in the forest and you have to go on a family-friendly troll hunt to find them! We had such a wonderful time on our troll hunt, perhaps it was even more fun that I imagined and I wanted to share our adventures.

First of all to appreciate the trolls, you might want to know a bit about Thomas Dambo. He is Danish artist who builds trolls from recycled materials. He hides them in forests and cites throughout the world. If you want to learn more about him, check out his very interactive and fun website here. He came to Detroit Lakes in May of 2024 and with the help of local volunteers built five trolls, three magic mirrors and one Golden Rabbit.

Are you ready to go on your own troll hunt? I’d recommend downloading The Story Map before you begin. It’s a great way to navigate your adventures. Every troll and magic mirror has a symbol that corresponds to a letter and that will help you determine the location of The Golden Rabbit. It may sound confusing to us adults, but my kids LOVED working on this. Finding the symbols and adding the letters to The Story Map was very exciting and got my kids invested in finding the trolls.

If you ever think you are lost or wondering if you are going the right way– just look for the birdhouses. Yellow and purple birdhouses mark the path to every troll and magic mirror, they also also made out of recycled materials like the trolls and are actually functioning birdhouses for the wildlife in the area!

Ready to begin? I’d suggest you head to Alexa’s Elixir located in Detroit Lakes City Park (1355 Washington Ave, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501).

Alexa has a book with a key to those symbols I mentioned. It’s important to note or zoom in on my picture above to guide you. Alexa’s Elixir is right in the park, there’s no hike or much of a secret to where she’s at– it’s hard to miss a gigantic troll in the middle of a park!

From there you’ll go to see Ronny Funny Face– my personal favorite! He is located at Dunton Locks County Park (24878 Dunton Locks Rd, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501). Finding Ronny Funny Face is a longer trek than Alexa’s Elixir but the path is entirely paved. There are some steps to get up close to Ronny Funny Face so he’s not entirely accessible, but you can see him (and his symbol) from the paved path.

Up next is Barefoot Frieda. Note in The Story Map they comment that the Ortenstone Gardens & Sculpture Park are not complete, but that’s not true anymore! There’s tons of amazing art to explore in this 50-acre outdoor nature and art park located at the corner of Randolph Road and Hwy 54. Besides the amazing sculptures and gorgeous gardens, they also have a Troll Merch stand where you can buy your own trolls t-shirts, Thomas Dambo books, stickers and so much more!

Travel to Frazee, Minnesota to visit Jacob Everear. He is located at Wannigan Regional
Park (200 N River Dr, Frazee, MN 56544). This hike was a little tougher for us, perhaps it was the 90 degree day or the fact that it was more difficult to have a wagon filled with kids on a bumpy dirt path. There was essentially no shade for the entire hike, until we got to Jacob Everear. He was one of my kids favorites because he was so easy to climb on and hug. You’re actually encouraged to hug the trolls, isn’t that fun?!

Lastly, the tallest troll is Long Lief. He is located at the Detroit Mountain Recreational Center (29409 170th St, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501). This hike was tricky and I’d recommend not bringing a stroller or wagon unless it’s an absolute must. There is also a nice building with bathrooms, ice cream, coffee and other food and tons of additional Troll Merch. An ice cream treat really hit the spot after this difficult and hot hike.

I should also mention there are three magic mirrors hidden in Perham, Fargo and Detroit Lakes. These aren’t as fun to see as the trolls, but they do have symbols so they are important to find if you don’t want to cheat with Google to find The Golden Rabbit.

Up next is The Golden Rabbit. I’m not going to tell you where it is, you can Google if you want to cheat! But please know the hike was intense. After learning this, we decided it would be best for my younger two kiddos to sit this out, so my son and I made the hike alone to find The Golden Rabbit. It was fun to find, but very hot and the trail was steep and scary at moments! I think we will have to come back as a family in a few years to do the whole hunt together so my girls can also see The Golden Rabbit!

I hope you’ll consider Detroit Lakes for your next adventure! The trolls are open year round, but the trails are not maintained in the winter time. I’d recommend you visit the Project 412 website for everything about the trolls and more in Detroit Lakes.

Have you seen the Detroit Lakes Trolls? Or do you plan on visiting? Let us know in the comments below!