Troll Hunting

                             A TROLL HUNTNG WE WILL GO🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

Troll Hunting has been on my bucket list for over a year, and we were not disappointed. My husband and I  picked a splendid early autumn day for our adventure.  

This was our first time visiting Detroit Lakes, despite it being less than two hours from our house. The city's economy is primarily driven by summer tourism and seasonal population increases. It's adorned with scenic lake views and many regional parks. 

Thomas Dambo, a Danish artist, is the creator of the trolls. As of 2024, he has created 138 giant sculptures from recycled materials in 17 countries worldwide. A vast array of volunteers has helped bring his vision to life. The goal of the troll hunt is to get out in nature, build community, and think better about recycling and caring for our world. Each of the trolls requires about a thousand hours to design, plan, and build.  The Trolls in the DL project 412  started small, but as ideas were generated and sponsors grew, it evolved into five trolls, a golden rabbit, and three portals.  There is no admission. Our adventure took 5 hours, including a lunch break

We were ready for the day with snacks, water, comfortable shoes, and a map. 

Due to time constraints, we took a shortcut and entered the addresses of each location into my phone, rather than following their riddle clues. 
We started our “troll adventure” in the DL City Park. Here, we met the first troll, named Alexa’s Elixir. You can't miss her as she is 30 feet tall. A large wooden storybook is in front of her, explaining why she came to the town to prepare an elixir that she hopes will cure those cursed by the Golden Rabbit.  Alexa needs special ingredients for her elixir. The riddles in the story lead to the various ingredients, each represented by one of the 5 trolls. She also needs the songs of birds for her recipe. So while on your hunt, you will encounter many birdhouses, some 800 in total. 

When you find each troll, look at the necklace around its neck. The necklace features a number and a symbol. The symbol corresponds to a letter in the troll alphabet cited in the wooden recipe book on Page 4. The number corresponds to the placement order of the letter in a word.

When you collect all the letters from the troll necklaces and put them in the right order, it will spell a word. That word reveals the name of the symbol on the map on Page 4 of the story in the wooden book.  This symbol indicates the location of the hidden secret Golden Rabbit. Paths are manageable and well-marked. Note that the last path to the Golden Rabbit is more challenging, as it is narrower, features rocky terrain, and has an uphill incline. However, it is worth noting that we passed by a very pregnant woman, another woman carrying an infant, a man trying to navigate a stroller, and many small children.   😊

Alexa

The wise old traveling brewer of potions, always dragging her potions, ingredients, and mighty spoon. She solves problems all over the land for trolls and humans alike. 

Wooden recipe booklet

Barefoot Frida is an outdoorsy type who loves to build small yet fun challenges for her friends in nature. 

Long Leif earned his name due to his impressive height—he stands at a towering 36 feet (Thomas Dambo’s tallest troll)! Leif is a friend of the trees. He enjoys hanging out with them and he has become as tall as them! His features include a long, flowing beard, expressive eyes, and a welcoming demeanor. His arms stretch wide, inviting visitors to engage with his story and the surrounding environment. To find Long Leif, keep an eye out for his unique identifier necklace—a symbol and number that tie into the larger treasure hunt. Can you find me? It was rather comical, as he had painted his toenails with rocks. 

Ronny Funny Face

Always on the lookout for a laugh. Ronny wants to make the whole world laugh. 

Jacob Everear

Jacob loves to listen, that’s why his ears are so big! Make sure to tell him a story when you visit him. Jacob Everear’s name is a whimsical blend of “Jacob” and “evergreen.”, part of his connection to evergreen trees. Jacob’s face reflects wisdom and age, with a long, flowing beard. His eyes hold secrets, inviting you to unravel his story; his arms stretch wide, embracing the magic of the outdoors. As you follow the riddles and clues provided by Alexa’s story to lead you to Jacob Everear, be sure to keep an eye out for his identifier necklace—a symbol and number guiding your troll-hunting ad.

The Golden Rabbit

The vast majority of Thomas Dambo’s creations are made from recycled wood, but the Golden Bunny appeared to be constructed using some kind of plastic.

A parting note: We found this whimsical art exhibit to be imaginative, showcasing creativity at its finest. The use of recycled materials and construction was mindboggling, as well as the sheer size of these trolls. Be sure to put troll hunting on your agenda if in the area. 

An added bonus was discovering a field of zinnias still blooming.