Troll Hunting in Minnesota

A couple of weeks ago, Richard and I road tripped to Bemidji and on the way back we detoured through Detroit Lakes for some troll hunting. It was so much fun!! It starts in the Detroit Lakes City Park and then turns into a scavenger hunt, with clues to decipher and little trails to hike. The trolls are amazing. They look impressive in photos but are so much more affecting IRL. Despite their size and blocky construction they feel alive. And somehow.... cuddly?  Even more fun is the magical effect on the people who show up to see them. They just make people happy, and friendly, and eager to make connections. There are clues in Alexa's big wooden book and more online. But there are other tips you can only get by word of mouth, like where to find the other end of the portal that Alexa is reaching into. Everybody wants to share their troll pictures and their theories of where to find the Golden Rabbit. I imagine that this is exactly what Thomas Dambo was going for. Yes, it's a long drive to Detroit Lakes, but highly recommended. 




The adventure starts at a pleasant park in Detroit Lakes, a town in northwest Minnesota that you probably never had any reason to visit before but which is now bustling with wholesome tourist traffic. I have no idea why Dambo named his Mama Troll Alexa - do they not know about Amazon in Denmark? Considering his overall message of nature over consumerism, I very much doubt that it was a deliberate product placement. But in any case, Troll Alexa will not turn on your stereo for you, just make you smile. 






Funny Face Ronny is the easiest one to get to after Alexa, and definitely the goofiest. You can amuse yourself for quite a while just watching other people posing with Ronny.






I think Jacob was my favorite. Less manic than some of the others, and built large and strong enough for your entire field hockey team to climb up and pose on his welcoming belly. Or if you're there alone, you can recline on his friendly hand, look into his gentle eyes, and tell him your problems. This one was a fairly arduous hike, but through a beautiful regional park in Frazee with rolling hillsides of prairie flowers, a historic covered bridge, and a couple of local volunteers welcoming  visitors at the start of the trail and proudly relating how they helped build these things. 





We didn't actually make it to the Golden Rabbit ourselves. We figured out where it was, but just didn't have the energy for one more mile-long hike through the woods. Another pilgrim at the Frazee site graciously shared this photo with me. 

But wait, there’s more!

See my last post if you are wondering why I am posting a picture of a giant troll.

The award for Most Gravitas goes to Long Lief (or as all the other troll hunters called him, "The Tall One.")  


And if troll hunting isn't a good enough reason to drive all the way to northwest Minnesota: you can also visit the World's Largest Turkey in Frazee. If you like this kind of thing, be sure to look up the whole turkey story on the irreplaceable Roadside America website.