We're Going on a Troll Hunt

Last fall I happened to be at Historic Smithville Park when the Burlington County Troll Trek was unveiled. Originally slated to be on display through the end of 2024, the trolls proved to be so popular they have been extended indefinitely. I'm glad because the fall was busy and we didn't end up seeing them.

With the nice Spring weather, Don and I took the convertible for a spin through Burlington County to find all 19 trolls. It took two trips as after four hours we were running out of daylight after only 13 trolls. A few days later we saw the last six and celebrated with ice cream.

Nineteen is not right. It is now 18. One of the trolls was damaged beyond repair in March. Fortunately (for us) it was one of the few trolls within walking distance of another troll so we didn't drive far. 

The website includes a pirate-style artistic rendering of where the tolls are located. The map is not at all in scale. Going in numeric order would not work. I opted to be driver and put Don in charge of navigating (with the help of Google maps). The first few we looked at were located in cute towns, some of which we had never visited before this. As we went further down the list, the trolls were more hidden. They were in nature centers and behind a school and after a sign that said No Trespassing. The trek showed us parts of Burlington County we have never seen before.

I am presenting the list in the order we saw them using the numbers from the official map. 

Located on Farnsworth Avenue in Bordentown #17 was an easy place for us to start. The statue is called "Edward," which to me seems odd because there are two of them. I like their flower table.

#16 "Riley, The Abilities Troll" lives in front of the Resources for Independent Living Staff. His "cape-of-abilities" represents the organization's mission of empowering people with disabilities. Each of the trolls seemed to have a sponsor, but this one had the stronger tie to their sponsor. 351 High Street, Burlington.

Two down! We walked across the railroad tracks to 420 High Street, only to find a blank spot. #15 "The Art Troll" survived for six months and was lost to wind storms the week before. Before we left I looked for the flyer I received in September. When I couldn't find it, I found one on Burlington County website and printed a fresh one. This one is updated and had the information about the missing troll.

The next troll didn't look far away on our pirate map, and it was a nice day for a stroll along the Delaware River, so we walked to it. If we had paced ourselves faster, we would have driven to this giant fisherman. #14 "Visser" is a Dutch fisherman who loves sunsets over the water and listening to birdsongs. I wonder if he'll attract a birds' nest this spring. We walked past an ice cream parlor back to my car.

"Hagatha" (#13) is located in Delanco. Her description says she "has a mysterious past, but is present now." She is located next to an ice cream shop. I'm detecting a theme.

"Noelle the Troll" (#12) is at the Burlington County Agriculture Center. Lots of places to park, but we were the only ones there that Thursday afternoon. The Agriculture Center has lots of events happening this spring and summer. The troll trek was an opportunity to see what is happening off our usual path.

Elbo Park in Mount Laurel is where "Sally McSraps," a froggy looking troll lolls on the lawn. When we arrived at the playground side of the park we asked someone if they knew where the troll was located. They looked at us as if we had three heads. Another person pointed us in the direction of the other side of the circular path. The loop was only half a mile. #11 looked pretty chill to me.

Medford is one of the cutest towns I have ever seen. This hunt finally took me here. I've been advised to return in the winter to see when the town turns into a Dickens inspired downtown. "Flora" is number 10. With the grass growing out of her head, she is alive.

"Melinda"

First selfie of the trek

With "Melinda" we went from a trek to a hunt, meaning from here on out we were no longer in small towns with ice cream parlors but off the beaten track. "Melinda" (#9) is located in a park inside a neighborhood in Lumberton, NJ. The township is her co-sponsor. She does look very friendly, inviting you to sit down and have a chat with her.

If Don had been the driver, and I was the navigator, we might not have seen "Big Rusty" (#1) as he was located behind a No Trespassing sign with the subtext "those who disobey will be shot on sight." Since I was driving, I took the clue that the clean white SUV in front of us confidently continued past the sign, then I noticed a sign that basically said "ignore the first sign." We ended up next to an abandoned house that has turned into a prime spot for graffiti. It also seems to be a teenage hang out. I noticed the scent of fresh spray paint as Don was noticing the aroma of fresh pot. We lingered, taking pictures around the house and left as I was feeling old and didn't feel like mothering the teens. I later learned there are plans to turn Big Rusty into the Creek Turn Park, a legit county (town?) park. Rusty's artist, the internationally known Thomas Dambo, started the whole troll trek creating Rusty out of recycled materials found at the abandoned Creek Turn Ceramic Factory off of Route 38. All of the trolls seem to be creatively made out of recycled materials. 

Though all of the trolls have GPS coordinates, the ones with descriptions that say "near" were the more challenging ones. Don said this was the hardest one to find. There were more on our second trip I found more challenging to locate.

This took us to the two I saw being unveiled. We later learned they will be moved soon, one to Delran and the other to Delanco. For now they are at Historic Smithville Park.  

"Gracie, the Gardener" (#2) is made out of bottle caps. She sits on a bench waiting for friends.

"Troll on a Stroll" (#3) is made out of recycled bicycle parts, paying homage to Smithville's Star bicycle days. As Don is into cycling, he wanted to pose with "Nels."

We pressed on for two more before dark because they were not very far away, and seemed easy to knock out. These two are in Mount Holly, another charming town. "Retlaw" (#4) enjoys gardening. He (she?) was easy to find. We parked in the lot behind the troll.

Number 5, "Bucket Head Bobby" was tricky. The address (near) 61 Washington Street pointed us to a stone business with an oven sitting in front of it I kept trying to make into a troll. Further reading says "finding his footing near the Rancocas Creek, Bobby started his journey with an old tractor tire for shoes." Rancocas Creek. We looked across the street and through some bushes and sure enough, the Bucket Head was standing on a former railroad trestle. 

The sun was setting fast, and I had been spooked by Big Rusty's location, so we put a pause on our hunt and had dinner at the Flying Pig in Bordentown instead.

We continued the trek on Sunday with five to go.

Don chose to start at Arney's Mount Park because we are hoping to go there for a glow worm hunt later this month and he wanted to see how long it will take (just over 30 minutes). "Tommy the Tetaus Troll" (#19) is up a trail from the Arney's Mount Park parking lot in Columbus, NJ. I felt he was less accessible than the others. 

"Kevin" (#18) was only ten minutes down the road, but felt like I entered another universe. I thought I was going to be shot as I drove into redneck territory with my glaringly liberal baby blue car. We had to drive past a Dead End street (may as well have said trespassers will be shot on sight) past a ball field that was being mowed and to a small park to the side. I loved Kevin's springs, but still breathed a sigh of relief once on the other side of the demarcation zone.

Our wheels for the trek

"Weft" (#6) lives behind the Rancocas Valley High School Annex not far from Historic Smithville Park. He has a sign that tells visitors not to come when school is in session. While I understand, but the time you see the sign, it is too late. The RVHS Environmental Club made him, "he is a product of the textile industry and wants to give back to the earth he was born from."

"Woody" is at the Ranconcas Nature Center, or rather down a half-mile trail away from the nature center. This was the first troll we had people hunting with us. The two other groups felt they accomplished something by seeing him. We were happy to find a bathroom we could use.

The docent inside said the next one (our last!) we were about to see is her favorite one. This got me to think about which one is my favorite.

Library!

Located at the Burlington County Amphitheater, "Pipsqueak" (#8) was our last troll. She has ladybug wings.

I was surprised that the town of Roebling did not get a statue. The factory town is famous for making Roebling steel, which was used to build the Brooklyn Bridge (and many other bridges). Since the trolls are made out, Roebling steel would be a natural fit. Roebling is inside of Florence, NJ, which also does not have a troll.

At this point we could either travel north to go home, or south to Medford where a friend recommended Peewee's Ice Cream. Chipwreck and Carrot Cake ice cream. Chipwreck is the flavor that won their version March Madness. Peewee's specializes in premium small batch ice cream. It was a little breezy, so we ate inside.

I don't know which one is my favorite. They are each very creative and different. I like the ones that tie into the theme that makes them unique (such as #16 and #3). It is hard to tell in the pictures, but some are enormous, and others would easily fit in the back of a pick up truck.

If you have a favorite, drop a note in the comments.