Mama Rosa & Beyond: A Guide to Thomas Dambo Trolls

If you've watched your kids' eyes light up at the sight of something genuinely magical lately, there's a good chance a 25-foot wooden troll was involved.

Wisconsin's very first Thomas Dambo troll — a charming, light-bouquet-toting giantess named Mama Rosa — quietly took up residence in Wauwatosa's Firefly Grove Park in May 2025, and she has already become one of the most photographed family destinations in the greater Milwaukee area.

But Mama Rosa is just one member of an enormous, sprawling, fairy-tale family of recycled-wood trolls hidden in parks, gardens, and forests across the United States. Whether you're planning a quick afternoon adventure with the kids in Tosa or mapping out an epic cross-country troll-hunting road trip, this guide rounds up everything Milwaukee-area families need to know about visiting Mama Rosa, the upcoming southeastern Wisconsin troll, and every other currently active Dambo troll in the country — all delivered in friendly, parent-tested detail.

The Recycle Artist Behind the Trolls

Thomas Dambo is a Danish artist, designer, and former hip-hop performer born in Odense, Denmark, in 1979 and now based in Copenhagen. He holds a master's degree in interaction design from the Kolding School of Design, and since 2014 he's been quietly building what is now one of the largest public art projects on Earth: a worldwide family of giant, friendly trolls assembled almost entirely from recycled and reclaimed wood — old pallets, fallen branches, salvaged lumber, leftover bourbon barrels, and even discarded street lamps. As of late 2025, Dambo and his team have built more than 170 trolls across roughly 23 countries on five continents, and his global Trollmap (find it at thomasdambo.com or trollmap.com) tracks them all. His mission, summed up by his motto "Waste No More," is to show families and visitors that trash can be transformed into beauty, that nature is sacred, and that putting down our screens to wander a forest is a small but meaningful act of joy. Each troll has a name, a personality, and an original poem written in Dambo's signature rhyming style — and discovering them is meant to feel like stepping inside a living storybook.

Dambo's work is part of a larger, ongoing fairy tale he calls The Trail of a Thousand Trolls. The story spans his entire body of work, with sub-chapters like "While the Weather Got Better," "Way of the Bird King," "Guardians of the Seeds," "Save the Humans," and the brand-new "Grandmother Tree." Reading the poems and stories on his website before a visit makes the experience richer — kids especially love spotting the symbols on each troll's necklace, which often combine into a treasure-hunt code. He has also publicly stated his dream of placing at least one troll in every U.S. state through a project called 50 States: Trolls of America, and Wisconsin's Mama Rosa is one of the most celebrated stops on that growing trail.

Wisconsin's First Troll: Mama Rosa in Tosa

Mama Rosa is made from trees recycled from Wauwatosa's urban forest and other materials from the city. In her hands, she holds a bouquet made from old Wauwatosa streetlight posts "picked" like flowers from Firefly Grove Park. Those very light posts were refurbished and brought back to life—they now glow at dusk.

For Milwaukee-area families, this is the headline event. Wauwatosa's Mama Rosa is a 25-foot-tall, 4,000-pound recycled-wood troll built almost entirely from Wauwatosa's own urban forest — discarded street trees that the city had already cut down. Her head was carved at Dambo's Copenhagen studio and shipped to Milwaukee, while her body was assembled on-site by Dambo, his crew, City of Wauwatosa workers, and a small army of local volunteers in the spring of 2025.

She was officially unveiled on May 28, 2025, at the grand opening of the brand-new Firefly Grove Park, making her the very first Thomas Dambo troll in Wisconsin and one of the artist's personal favorites. According to local reporting, more than 62,000 visitors found her within her first month alone, generating an estimated $4 million in regional economic impact — proof that the Milwaukee area has fully embraced its giant new neighbor.

What makes Mama Rosa truly singular is that she is the very first illuminated troll Dambo has ever made. In her oversized hands she clutches a bouquet of flowers — but those "flowers" are actually refurbished streetlight fixtures from the Wauwatosa Department of Public Works, fitted with LEDs and powered by the park's solar panels.

As dusk falls, light sensors automatically flick the bouquet on, and Mama Rosa quite literally glows. Sprinkled around the park you'll also spot "snapped" or partially missing light posts where, the story goes, Mama Rosa has plucked her glowing flowers — a charming Easter-egg hunt that kids absolutely love. A poem mounted near the sculpture (written by Dambo himself) sets the scene: "Something funny with these flowers… When the sun's asleep, these flowers glow. I wonder how these flowers grow."

Where to Find Mama Rosa: Location, Parking & Hours

Mama Rosa lives in Firefly Grove Park, at the corner of 116th Street and West Gilbert Avenue in Wauwatosa, just south of North Avenue and a few minutes west of I-41. The park is free and open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and there is no admission fee or ticket required to visit the troll. Parking is on the street only — you'll find spots along 116th Street, Gilbert Avenue, and Walnut Street. There is no dedicated parking lot, but ADA/handicap parking is available on the street near the north entrance. Pro tip from local families: visit on a weekday morning or a quiet weekday evening if you'd rather skip the weekend crowds, which can be substantial in summer and fall.

Accessibility, Pets, and Park Etiquette

Firefly Grove Park was thoughtfully designed with accessibility in mind. The main paved pathway loops through the entire park and is wheelchair- and stroller-friendly, winding past Mama Rosa, the playground, the willow hut, and the new pump track. Several playground features sit at wheelchair transfer height, and leashed dogs are welcome. Visitors are encouraged to hug Mama Rosa, take photos with her, and admire her up close, but the city specifically asks that you do not sit, climb, or stand on any part of her — the wood needs to last for years to come. Stay on designated paths to protect the wildflower areas, take all your belongings home with you, and leave the park's natural elements where you find them.

What Else Is in Firefly Grove Park

A huge bonus for Milwaukee families is that Firefly Grove isn't just "the troll park" — it's a brand-new, full-featured neighborhood gem. In addition to Mama Rosa, the park includes a freshly blacktopped pump track that's already a regional draw for kids on bikes, scooters, and balance bikes; a large, accessible playground; an intimate willow hut tucked off the main path; a stormwater retention area that doubles as a habitat feature; and wide, looping paved paths perfect for a leisurely family stroll. Notably, the park was funded without a single dollar of local taxpayer money — Mama Rosa herself was paid for through hotel/motel tax revenue earmarked for tourism.

Tips Specific to Visiting Mama Rosa

Bring snacks and water, because most kids will want to linger longer than expected. Wear bug spray in summer — the wooded edges of the park can get buggy, and there have been bee sightings around her flowers. Stay on paved paths during muddy spring or after heavy rain. Try to time at least one visit at dusk so the kids can witness the light bouquet glow — the lights remain on until the park closes at 10 p.m. Snap photos and share on social media using #WauwatosaTroll or #MamaRosa (Discover Wauwatosa regularly reposts community photos). And finally, hunt for those "snapped" lamp posts around the park — kids genuinely treat it like a scavenger hunt.

Family-Friendly Things to Do Near Mama Rosa

One of the joys of visiting Wauwatosa's troll is that you can easily fold the trip into a half-day or full-day Milwaukee-area family outing. The Village of Wauwatosa is just a short drive east, with kid-friendly bakeries, ice cream spots, family restaurants, and boutique shopping along North 68th and Harwood. Hart Park offers riverside trails, the Heat Haven splash zone in summer, and the lovely Hoyt Park pool just across the river. Tots and elementary-aged kids will adore the Little Geese Shop in the Village, where you can also grab official Mama Rosa merchandise. Slightly farther afield, you're a 10–15 minute drive from the Milwaukee County Zoo, Mayfair Mall's family fun, and a short hop from the Milwaukee Public Museum, Discovery World, Betty Brinn Children's Museum, and the lakefront. Out west, the Menomonee River Parkway trails, Currie Park, and Wehr Nature Center make excellent add-on stops for nature-loving families.

Coming Soon to Wisconsin: A Second Troll in Mount Pleasant

While Mama Rosa is currently Wisconsin's only active Dambo troll, southeastern Wisconsin will soon have a second one. In April 2026, the Village of Mount Pleasant in Racine County officially announced that it has commissioned Dambo to build one of his signature giant troll sculptures, with installation planned for the second half of 2027. The exact location hasn't been chosen yet, and Dambo and his team plan to tour potential park and public-space sites later in 2026. Volunteers and donors of recycled wood are being sought (interested families can email TrollHelpers@mtpleasantwi.gov). The Mount Pleasant troll is expected to create a natural southeastern Wisconsin "troll trail" pairing with Mama Rosa — a road-trip combo that's already attracting attention from Iowa, Minnesota, and beyond.

Every Currently Active Thomas Dambo Troll in the United States (2026)

Beyond Mama Rosa, dozens of Dambo trolls are scattered across the country, and many of them make for excellent extended family road trips out of Milwaukee. Here's a region-by-region tour of the trolls that are currently active and viewable to the public as of spring 2026.

Closest to Milwaukee: The Upper Midwest

The single best follow-up adventure for Milwaukee-area Dambo fans is a road trip to Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, which boasts the largest cluster of Dambo trolls in the country — five giants, plus a hidden Golden Rabbit and three "magic mirror portals" — all installed in the spring of 2024 in partnership with the local nonprofit Project 412. The full installation, called Trolls in DL or Alexa's Elixir, was named one of TIME magazine's "World's Greatest Places of 2025." It's about an 8-hour drive from Milwaukee. Begin your hunt at Alexa's Elixir in Detroit Lakes City Park, where Alexa stands beside her wooden cauldron and a story book filled with riddles and a map. Ronny Funny Face lives at Dunton Locks County Park along an easy paved quarter-mile path (the most accessible of the bunch). Barefoot Frida is tucked at the future Ortenstone Gardens & Sculpture Park about a third of a mile from her parking area. Jacob EverEar reclines peacefully overlooking the Otter Tail River, and Long Leif — at 36 feet, currently Dambo's tallest troll ever — towers over a clearing at the Detroit Mountain Recreation Area. The three magic portals are hidden in downtown Fargo, North Dakota; Detroit Lakes; and Perham, Minnesota. Plan at least a full day, wear comfortable shoes, pack water and bug spray, and use the Visit Detroit Lakes online map to keep your family from getting lost.

About five hours northeast of Milwaukee, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, you'll find Benny the Beard Fisher — a 30-foot-long, 14-foot-high reclining troll lounging on the shores of the Manistique River in tiny Germfask, Michigan. To visit Benny, stop at the front desk of Northland Outfitters Campground & Canoe, pay a small per-vehicle fee, and follow the signs. He's a perfect add-on if your family is already exploring Pictured Rocks, Tahquamenon Falls, or Seney National Wildlife Refuge.

The Pacific Northwest: Way of the Bird King Trolls

Built during Dambo's celebrated 2023 "Way of the Bird King" U.S. tour, the Pacific Northwest is home to six interconnected trolls and a wildly successful community art project. Oscar the Bird King, the namesake of the entire saga, sits on a wooden throne crowned with birdhouses at Point Robinson Park on Vashon Island, Washington, just steps from one of the world's shortest lighthouses. Pia the Peacekeeper — an 18-foot gentle giant whose hands form a peace sign — lives along the loop trail of Sakai Park on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Bruun Idun plays a flute to call orcas home from a wooded perch in Lincoln Park in West Seattle, accessible from either the main lot on Fauntleroy Way SW or the closer Lincoln Park #2 parking lot. Jakob Two Trees, a 14-foot troll with a Snoqualmie Tribe-made hairband, peeks out along the paved Rainier Trail in Issaquah, Washington, just past the Issaquah Community Center and dog park — an easy, wheelchair- and stroller-friendly walk. Frankie Feetsplinter, the youngest and "angriest" of the bunch, stomps a wooden bench right outside the National Nordic Museum in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. And just south in Oregon, Ole-Bolle kneels behind the historic Fogelbo house at Nordic Northwest in Portland, peering into a tiny red playhouse that kids are welcome to climb inside. As of late 2025, the Scan Design Foundation and host cities have committed to keeping these trolls in place for at least another year, with several (like Jakob Two Trees and Ole-Bolle) intended to remain much longer.

The Mountain West and Wyoming

In the small former-gold-mining town of Victor, Colorado, you'll find Rita the Rock Planter crouched on Little Grouse Mountain, gently filling old mining holes with stones to keep travelers safe. There's a longer 0.8-mile uphill hike from the lower lot or a quick 0.2-mile downhill stroll from the upper lot. Up in ski country, Isak Heartstone stands 15 feet tall along the Trollstigen Trail behind the Stephen C. West Ice Arena in Breckenridge, Colorado — a famous early Dambo troll with quite a storied history (he was relocated in 2019 due to overcrowding in his original neighborhood). Visitors are asked to walk, bike, or use public transportation since there's no nearby parking. In Wyoming, Mama Mimi — Dambo's 80th-ever troll — lounges with one foot resting on a small island at R Park (Rendezvous Park) in Wilson, Wyoming, a transformed gravel-pit-turned-community-park near Jackson Hole. R Park is wonderfully family-friendly, with walking paths, a beach, a pond, and clean restrooms.

Texas and the Southeast

In Austin, Malin's Fountain is an 18-foot troll tucked among the trees of Pease Park, near the Pease Park Treehouse, opened to the public in March 2024 and expected to last for many years thanks to her durable salvaged Douglas fir construction. In Kentucky, the original American troll family — Mama Loumari, Little Nis, and Little Elina — remains active at Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in Clermont, KY along the two-mile Forest Giants Trail (visitor reports as recent as summer 2025 confirm all three are still standing and welcoming guests; Bernheim suggests a $10 per-car donation). The trolls were originally projected to last only a few years, so families who haven't seen them yet should plan a visit soon.

The Northeast and New England

In Boothbay, Maine, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens hosts five interconnected trolls in the much-loved Guardians of the Seeds exhibition, installed in 2021 and still drawing record crowds (gardens visitation has jumped from roughly 204,000 in 2020 to more than 331,000 in 2025 thanks largely to the trolls). The five trolls — Roskva, Lilja, Birk, Søren, and Gro — are each meant to represent a different part of a tree (trunks, flowers, roots, branches, and leaves) and are spaced along scenic walking paths through the 300-acre gardens. Admission to the gardens is required. In Hainesport Township, New Jersey, Big Rusty — a 20-foot troll constructed from rusty metal roofing and salvage from an abandoned ceramic supply property — sits in a relaxed pose off Route 38; her future is somewhat uncertain because the building she leans against is slated for demolition, but as of spring 2026 she remains visible to those who know where to look (between the Diamond Diner and Dunleavy's Restaurant). Note: Lost Finn, Dambo's troll in South Londonderry, Vermont, has been temporarily closed to the public since 2025 because it sits on private property; check the Trollmap before attempting a visit.

Ohio

In Dayton, the Aullwood Audubon Nature Center is home to a permanent family of three trolls — Bo, Bodil, and Bibbi — known together as "The Troll That Hatched an Egg." The story is a charming nod to Dayton's aviation history (Bibbi mistakes an airplane for a giant bird that drops "metal eggs"). As of 2025, the giant nest portion of the installation has been de-installed for safety reasons, but the three trolls themselves remain accessible to visitors. Aullwood requires paid admission or membership, and all three trolls are reachable via a 7- to 20-minute hike on the sanctuary's eight miles of trails.

California (Permanent Installation)

The first permanent indoor Dambo troll in the world, Lulu Hyggelig, lives inside the California Nature Art Museum in Solvang, California. Built from recycled wine barrels, pallets, and fallen wood, Lulu's whimsical backstory has her trapped inside a pastry-scented tower after eating too many bakery cakes — kids are invited to bring a sweet treat for her. Museum admission is required.

North Carolina: The Newest and Largest U.S. Installation (October 2025)

The freshest and most ambitious recent installation in the country opened in late October 2025 across three North Carolina cities, comprising seven trolls collectively known as The Grandmother Tree. Five trolls live in Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh — parents Daddy Bird Eye and Mother Strongtail, plus their three baby trolls Dix, Dux, and Dax (Mother Strongtail's tail is a 620-foot wooden boardwalk that visitors can walk on, threading deep into the woods). Dix Park is free, open dawn to dusk daily, and has free parking; use 1030 Richardson Drive, Raleigh, to navigate, and pick up a printable Dix Park troll map for routes. Big Pete, the largest of all the North Carolina trolls at 65 feet long, lies in Charlotte's River District (use the intersection of River District Drive and Crescent River Road, or Dixie River Road and West Boulevard if your GPS isn't yet finding the new streets). Little Sally is a "teen sibling" troll in High Point, North Carolina, near 726 W. Grimes Avenue. Each troll wears a necklace with a hidden symbol — collect all seven and the Trollmap will reveal the location of the legendary "Grandmother Tree."

Currently Active Traveling Exhibitions

In addition to the permanent trolls listed above, Dambo's two traveling indoor exhibitions are currently moving through the U.S. and well worth a detour if your family is in the area. Trolls: A Field Study by Thomas Dambo features twelve smaller "baby troll" sculptures and is running at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville from November 15, 2025, through February 17, 2026, with admission included in the standard parking fee. After that, the Field Study trolls move to the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes, California, beginning in March 2026. Meanwhile, TROLLS: Save the Humans (a separate exhibition featuring six trolls — Basse Buller, Ibbi Pip, Kamma Can, Ronja Redeye, Rosa Sunfinger, and Sofus Lotus) is on display at Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska, from November 25, 2025, through May 18, 2026, before continuing on to The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, New York. (The Save the Humans exhibition just wrapped its run at Filoli in Woodside, California, on November 10, 2025.) Always double-check the official Trollmap before traveling, since traveling exhibitions move on a published schedule.

A Few More Coming Soon

Beyond Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin (2027), Dambo also has a major project planned for Clinton, Iowa, where multiple trolls will be installed along the Mississippi River on the Sawmill Museum campus by early summer 2026 — a great upcoming option for Midwest families.

How to Use the Official Troll Map and the Trail of a Thousand Trolls

Dambo maintains an official global Trollmap at trollmap.com (also accessible via thomasdambo.com), which shows every active troll in the world, their photos, their poems, and updates on whether each one is currently accessible. Before any troll-hunting road trip, double-check the map — Dambo's trolls are designed to last roughly three years before they begin showing serious weathering, after which the host community decides whether to maintain, repair, or retire them. The Trail of a Thousand Trolls is also the name of Dambo's storybook (you can buy it through his shop), which weaves together all the trolls' interconnected fairy tales — a wonderful pre-trip read for kids ages 4 and up.

Tips for Visiting Any Dambo Troll With Kids

A few pieces of universal advice make troll hunts go more smoothly. Go early or go late — most trolls are in popular parks or gardens, and weekend midday visits tend to be the busiest. Wear sturdy shoes, since many trolls live at the end of dirt or wood-chip trails (Mama Rosa is a notable exception, with paved access). Pack water, snacks, sunscreen, and bug spray — some hunts can take longer than expected and many trolls live in wooded areas. Do not climb on the trolls. Dambo's team and host communities specifically ask visitors not to sit, stand, or climb on the sculptures because every bit of pressure shortens the troll's life span; hugs, however, are welcome, and you can absolutely touch their hands and feet. Read the poem first. Each troll has a poem posted nearby, and reading it aloud transforms the visit from a photo op into a story. Hunt for the symbols. Most trolls wear a wooden necklace with a hidden character; collecting them across multiple installations unlocks bigger storylines. Stay on the marked paths, respect any "no trespassing" signs in surrounding areas, and leave no trace — pack out everything you bring in, including snack wrappers.

For photography, the best light is generally the golden hour before sunset — though Mama Rosa is a special case, since she's the only Dambo troll designed to glow at dusk (visit at sunset and stay 30 minutes after for the best illuminated photos). Avoid harsh midday sun if you can, and try shooting from below to capture the towering scale; kids in the frame help convey just how massive these sculptures really are. Tag your shots with #WauwatosaTroll, #MamaRosa, #DamboTrolls, or #TrollHunters to join the worldwide community of fans.

Why Mama Rosa Matters

Wauwatosa's Mama Rosa is so much more than an Instagrammable photo stop — she's a free, accessible, year-round destination that gently introduces kids to ideas about recycling, urban forestry, public art, and the power of imagination. She glows. She holds streetlight flowers. She was made from the trees of our own neighborhoods. And she now stands at the center of a beautiful, brand-new park with a pump track, a playground, and shaded paved paths perfect for the whole family — all without an admission fee. For greater Milwaukee parents, she's the kind of casual, repeat-visit magic that defines a great childhood. Visit her at golden hour. Bring a picnic. Read her poem out loud. Then, when the road-trip itch hits, plot your next adventure to Detroit Lakes or the Upper Peninsula. The Trail of a Thousand Trolls is just beginning to wind its way through Wisconsin — and your family has a front-row seat.