Tommy Turtle

Bottineau, North Dakota, United States

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Animals and creatures

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Listed, not yet checked · Oct 2026

This Big Thing is recorded as still being here.

Tommy Turtle is a giant fibreglass turtle riding a snowmobile in Tommy Turtle Park, Bottineau, North Dakota. North Dakota Tourism calls him the world's largest snowmobile-riding turtle and gives his height as over 26 feet; the Minot Daily News gave 30 feet in 2018.

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Tommy Turtle

This pin marks the Big Thing itself. If stopping, choose a safe and legal place nearby.

Site-level location · 48.8232° N, 100.4310° W

FIELD GUIDE

The story

A giant turtle rides an oversized snowmobile in a small North Dakota town, and has done so since the late 1970s. Tommy Turtle stands in Tommy Turtle Park in Bottineau, which the city's tourism pages describe as the gateway to the Turtle Mountains and which North Dakota Tourism calls the area's local mascot.

Atlas Obscura says the three-ton fibreglass turtle was built in 1978 by an Idaho native named Boots Reynolds and brought to Bottineau on flatbed trucks; WorldAtlas, in January 2025, likewise reported a 1978 date and an Idaho builder. In 2018 the Minot Daily News said Tommy had been on display for 40 years and quoted the Bottineau Park District's director, who called him a big tourism draw and said the aim was to make people stop and look.

His size depends on who is counting. Bottineau's tourism site gives both 26 and 30 feet and describes a 34-foot-long snowmobile; North Dakota Tourism says he is over 26 feet tall sitting on his snowmobile; the Minot Daily News and WorldAtlas give 30 feet. Both North Dakota tourism sources call him the world's largest turtle or snowmobile-riding turtle, and Bottineau's site adds the world's largest snowmobile, all claims made by those tourism bodies.

The park is at 1001 10th Street East, in Bottineau. Bottineau's tourism site says it has recreational courts, restrooms and a bathhouse, and picnic areas.

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PRACTICAL

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WHAT TO EXPECT

Tommy stands in Tommy Turtle Park, a city park with recreational courts, restrooms and a bathhouse, and picnic areas, according to Bottineau's tourism site. He can be viewed from the park; North Dakota Tourism lists him as a family attraction.

ACCESS

Tommy Turtle Park, 1001 10th Street East, Bottineau, North Dakota. A public city park.

COMMUNITY

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WHAT'S NEXT

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W'eel Turtle

Dunseith, North Dakota

North Dakota Tourism describes the W'eel Turtle as a giant turtle statue made of more than 2,000 tire rims, at 412 Main St. S. in Dunseith, North Dakota. Roadside America and Wikipedia call it the world's largest turtle sculpture. North Dakota Tourism lists it under family fun, with parking beside the Log House visitors center, which sells local crafts and gifts.

Roadside giants

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27 km away

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