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Little Sally, an 18-foot-tall wooden troll created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, is located in High Point, North Carolina.
Dobhran Wilcoxen
Hidden Giants:
On the Hunt for Trolls
Part public art, part treasure hunt, Thomas Dambo's troll sculptures are creating a new American folklore, one state at a time.
By Kyle Marra
Trolls have been the subject of Scandinavian and Norse folklore since the early 13th century. These stories featured giant, nocturnal, mythological creatures that turn to stone when touched by the light of the sun. The tales were used to explain the causes of natural disasters, like avalanches, or inhospitable landscapes. Some legends even claim that famous landmarks were formed when the land reclaimed a troll that had become stone. Today, trolls are fantasy staples, existing in the worlds of Dungeons and Dragons, “Lord of the Rings” and other popular franchises. Did you know that thanks to Danish artist Thomas Dambo, a bit of troll folklore, albeit a modern take, has crossed the Atlantic to the United States?
Thomas Dambo in his barn studio located near Copenhagen, Denmark.
While earning a master’s degree in Interaction Design from Denmark’s Kolding School of Design, he began experimenting with large-scale installations that encourage adventure while blurring the lines between art, activism and neo-folklore. He uses recycled wood and upcycles other materials to craft his trolls, which gained notoriety first in Europe. In 2018, he launched the “Troll Hunt” at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, an exhibit that saw record attendance and sparked America’s fascination with Dambo’s creatures. Now, you can look for his whimsical giants hidden in forests, botanical gardens and public places across the U.S. Eventually, Dambo plans to install a troll in every state; until then, here’s where you can find a few of them.
Alexa’s Elixir
Detroit Lakes, Minnesota
This 2024 installation features five towering trolls, three mystical portals, 800 birdhouses and a recipe for the elixir to be given as an offering to the Golden Rabbit.
The Golden Rabbit is hidden in a secret location. To find it, you must solve the riddle in Alexa's book. Can you collect these five special ingredients with the help of the trolls?
A handful of chirps from some happy birds!
A tree planted.
The laughter from a stranger.
A mile walked with bare feet.
A story about someone you love.
Isak Heartstone found a new home, THOMAS DAMBO TROLLS video
Breckenridge, Colorado
Isak Heartstone 2
Isak Hearthstone was originally commissioned for the 2018 Breckenridge International Festival of Arts. He’s named for the stone heart that three little girls presented to him as a gift during his creation. Dambo installed the heart in the troll. Like many of Dambo’s works, Isak was made with help from volunteers using recycled wood. During the first year of display, it was normal for 3,000 visitors per day to see him. The extra foot traffic angered locals, forcing the sculpture to be dismantled in 2019.
However, Isak didn’t stay down long. Months after he was taken down, the public demanded his return. Dambo obliged, this time assembling the beloved troll at the end of a short trail just beyond downtown. The seated, wooden giant remains a popular artistic treasure for visitors to find in the mountain village.
AAA.com/TripCanvas has tips for visiting Isak Heartstone.
Benny The Beard Fisher along the banks of the Manistique River, Michigan
Germfask, Michigan
Benny The Beard Fisher
Benny the Beard Fisher is part of Dambo’s “The Way of the Bird King,” a multistate installation that runs from New York to Seattle. In Michigan, Benny can be found lounging on a riverbank, his impressive beard dipped in the wilderness waters of the Manistique River within the Northland Outfitters campground. He was built to bring environmental awareness, with his beard inspecting the health of the river.
Dax is one of several troll sculptures in Dorothea Dix Park, Raleigh, North Carolina
Charlotte, High Point and Raleigh, North Carolina
The Grandmother Tree
Rather than a single troll, this troll family invites explorers on a statewide quest through North Carolina. “The Grandmother Tree” installation features seven reclaimed-wood trolls: five hiding among the trails and trees of Raleigh’s Dorothea Dix Park, with one waiting in High Point and another in Charlotte. Together, the trolls tell the story of an ancient tree they are sworn to protect. Each sculpture holds a secret symbol, and visitors who discover all seven symbols can unlock the hidden location of the mysterious Grandmother Tree.
Leo the Enlightened is located along a hiking trail at Blackberry Mountain Resort, Walland, Tennessee.
Walland, Tennessee
Leo the Enlightened
If you’re in Tennessee and ready to hunt for trolls, then consider staying at Blackberry Mountain Resort. Exclusively installed for the resort’s guests to enjoy, Leo the Enlightened sits upon a scenic Smoky Mountain overlook on the resort’s property. One standout feature of this troll is the unique necklace made of lumps of sick trees. He is part of Dambo’s “Trash, Trolls and Treasure Hunts,” a book Dambo wrote about how he gathered tons of scrap wood, built more than 100 troll sculptures and shared them across 17 countries.
Big Pete in Charlotte, N.C., is one of Dambo’s largest trolls at 65 feet long.
Ready for a Treasure Hunt?
These are just a few of the giant trolls that call the United States home, and more are on the way. Dambo’s dream is a coast-to-coast public art trail made of recycled materials and volunteer hands. If he succeeds, there will be a troll in each state, furthering America’s part in his internationally renowned modern troll legend. These installations are not always permanent, so be sure to see them before they come down.
Check out Thomas Dambo's TROLLMAP to discover more of these gentle giants tucked into forests, parks and wild corners across the U.S. Turn a simple weekend outing into a hunt for art with your friends and family. The adventure is waiting.
Inspired to track down a Hidden Giant of your own? Whether you're planning a weekend road trip or a cross-country adventure, AAA can help you discover attractions, map your route and unlock member savings along the way. Start planning at AAA.com/TripCanvas.
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