The sign from the road said something like "come see our forest giants!" I'd planned to camp on a stranger's land a few miles off the highway near Louisville (they had agreed to this arrangement), and on the way I passed a couple of bourbon distilleries and the nature preserve with the sign out front. Somewhere deep in my memory, I recalled seeing an article about a Danish sculptor who made giant wooden trolls in parks around the world. It seemed impossible that this sort-of random detour could lead me to see such wonders, but I decided to take a look in the morning to be sure. After all, a forest walk and a dose of fresh air would probably do me good before a day in the car en route to Mississippi.
To my amazement, the Bernheim Forest and Arboretum did indeed claim a small family of three of Thomas Dambo's wooden trolls. Words don't seem adequate when I try to describe the feeling of "discovering" these giants along the trail. I felt a sense of magic and wonder, bringing me back to trips with my mother as a child when she would make even the most mundane sites seem special. I felt kinship somehow, as though I had something in common with these wooden works of art. Perhaps I did; after all, we'd all ended up in the same Kentucky woods. And, like me, the trolls seemed to express a sense of reverie, admiring the beauty around them.
I felt compelled to search for more trolls I might be able to visit around the US. My timing was more divine than I realized when I noticed an "X" in the state of Michigan on Thomas Dambo's trollmap.com website. I couldn't understand why he'd build a troll in the somewhat remote Upper Peninsula town of Germfask, where Highway 77 intersects with the Manistique River. Plus, this was a road I’d driven many times. I thought "how could I have missed out for all these years?” What I didn't know at the time, was that this troll (Benny the Beardfisher) was just being “born!” Campground owners Levi and Durea Brady worked with Dambo to bring his incredible art to northern Michigan that summer.
I'm not always able to make time for extensive visits to the Upper Peninsula, so it took awhile before I could see Benny in person. Luckily, in 2025, I planned to go all the way to the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan’s northern-most point, and I’d need a place to stop halfway through my journey. Northland Outfitters Campground, where Benny resides, is a beautiful family-friendly place to stay. They have canoe/kayak rentals perfectly situated along the river. They also have an adorable gift shop with handmade art and self-care items, as well as things you may have forgotten to bring to your campsite. Everyone is friendly and helpful, ensuring that your stay goes as smoothly as possible.
In 2025, I stayed in a "rustic" cabin that had a cozy bed, a working TV, and a serene porch where I wrote in my journal about my trip. And, of course, there was Benny. A bit off the path toward the back of the campground, he rests by the river, leaning his stick-beard into the sweeping waters. I felt the same giddy-awe feeling that I did back in Kentucky.
This year, I came back and camped in my van. In the gift shop, as I loaded up on souvenirs, they told me that they had just passed inspection for a new coffee shop that campers and town-visitors alike would be able to use. I made a mental note to return in 2027 to check it out. Benny looked as good as ever, with the same thoughtful look in his massive eyes.
Non-campers can visit Benny for only $10 per car. Visit northlandoutfittersup.com for more information.
