Trolls in Mt Horeb — Allie & AJ Adventures

We had passed billboard signs advertising the “Trollway” in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin while driving through Dodge County to Governor Dodge State Park last summer. We were looking for something unique and relatively close-by to do over Memorial Day weekend, and AJ suggested we go look for the infamous trolls in Mt. Horeb, the self-proclaimed “Troll Capitol of the World.” We share the results of our scavenger hunt below and hope you go find them for yourselves one day!

History

In the 1970’s, a Scandinavian gift shop in Mt. Horeb displayed imported trolls on their lawn, drawing the attention of visitors and truckers passing by. When a bypass was constructed a decade later, the locals worried what this would do to their businesses, and so the town’s resident wood carver was commissioned to construct more trolls. Thus, the Trollway and a brilliant marketing campaign were created. Today, people go to Mt. Horeb, pick up a troll map at the Chamber of Commerce visitor center (or print it online), and seek out all 34 trolls throughout the town. Read more about the history of the Trollway here.

Recommendations

We printed the troll map ahead of time from the link above, but we could have saved ourselves that step, as the Welcome Center has printed maps for visitors. You will stop at this location anyway if you are seeking trolls, as there are three trolls inside this location and one outside. There is a worker inside who will be able to give you more background and answer any questions you may have, plus there are some quirky souvenirs to browse and a restroom you can use before starting your scavenger hunt.
We parked on a street down from the Welcome Center and were able to see a lot of the trolls by foot. Unless you have a lot of time and energy, you will need to drive to see some of the further trolls. The map can also be a bit misleading about how far the trolls really are. We would advise using Google Maps in conjunction with the printed map to check actual distances between trolls.
Technically, we were only able to see 33/34 trolls, because we went on a Saturday, and one troll is inside the Lake Ridge Bank which is closed on Saturday. So unless you go during business hours on a weekday, this troll will remain a mystery. We could not find pictures of it online, so if anyone has a picture of it from their own visit, we’d love to see it! (allie.aj.adventures@gmail.com).
To continue with the troll theme, grab a beer and/or a meal at the Grumpy Troll Brew Pub. (Note: The troll map said this troll was outside, but it was actually placed inside the entryway of the brewery, so you’ll have to seek him out during business hours. Also, the Sugar Troll candy shop “troll” is really just a neon sign).