Benny the Beard troll

A giant wooden troll sits fishing on the bank of the Manistique River in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and it can be reached by a short walk from a campground car park. Benny the Beard Fisher is the work of Danish artist Thomas Dambo, commissioned by Northland Outfitters for its campground at Germfask. Northern Express reported in July 2023 that it was Dambo's 117th piece, and the sculptures last about five to seven years outdoors. UP Travel gives Benny's size as about 30 feet long and 14 feet tall. The head, hands and feet were made in Denmark and shipped to the Upper Peninsula; the body was assembled on site in July 2023. UP Travel says the build used cedar planks from a nearby Amish lumber mill along with local branches and saplings, while Dambo told WLUC at the time that the wood came from a recycled supply from an Upper Peninsula flooring company. Dambo told WLUC the river location was where the permit could be obtained, and that sitting on the riverbank he thought a troll there would be fishing. UP Travel quotes Dambo: "Benny loves to fish with his long beard in the Manistique River." UP Travel lists admission as $10 per vehicle, paid at the Northland Outfitters camp store, with the sculpture open daily during daylight hours year-round. Northland Outfitters also rents canoes and kayaks, and UP Travel says paddlers with their own boats can float past Benny at no extra cost. A February 2026 visitor account describes paying a posted fee at the office before walking in.