Aullwood Audubon
Winter mornings have a different rhythm quiet roads, pale skies, the soft anticipation of snow-covered trails. So on February 5th we left the house around 8:30 a.m., heading toward Dayton, Ohio. Luna and I arrived mid-morning with one goal in mind, the troll trail at Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm. With Luna geared up in boots that refused to stay put for long, we set out to see what the snow-heavy woods would allow us to reach.
The Trail Experience
The troll installations at Aullwood were created by internationally recognized Danish recycle artist Thomas Dambo. These large-scale sculptures built from reclaimed materials are designed to draw people deeper into nature while telling environmental stories. The Dayton installation, “The Troll That Hatched an Egg,” features three trolls placed along forest and farm trails, encouraging visitors to hike between locations rather than view them from a single spot.
Snow was still thick across the trails that morning, slowing our pace and turning a simple hike into a small endurance test. We completed roughly 1.5 miles, reaching the first two trolls.
Trolls
Bo
Bo (Troll #85), sitting quietly among the stream.
Bibbi
Bibbi (Troll #83) trying to fly away, equally impressive.
I love how the artist blends reclaimed materials with woodland surroundings
The sculptures both form a surreal contrast against the white winter landscape. Wooden textures rising out of frozen grounds and leafless branches. Trails at Aullwood can be primitive in sections, often dirt or gravel with exposed roots and uneven terrain, which becomes significantly more challenging under snow and ice.
The boots
Luna’s boots repeatedly disappeared into deep snow, forcing several stops to refit them after finding them. The sheer amount of snowfall we have had recently really just doesn’t mesh with her booties. Eventually, between the conditions and the repeated gear adjustments, we decided to save the third troll for a return trip later in the month.
About the Location
Located just outside Dayton, Aullwood Audubon operates as a nature sanctuary, sustainable farm, and environmental education center with miles of trails passing through woods, meadows, streams, and prairie habitat. This troll exhibition is one of 155 of Dambo installations across 5 continents. This makes the trail both an art destination and a conservation-focused outdoor experience.
Even shortened by winter conditions, this hike delivered exactly what winter trails promise, quiet woods and the reminder that unfinished hikes are simply invitations to return. We headed out after completing the first section of the trail, planning to revisit the remaining troll next week. After leaving we stooped to see a Great Depression era rock garden!
Have you seen any of the Thomas Dambo trolls? Tell me which you’ve seen in the comments.
Don’t forget to share with someone you want to see the Dayton installation with.
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