Entry No. 26 — the Charlotte file — filed under: eco art
Pete the Troll
Handcrafted by Danish recycle artist Thomas Dambo, Pete is a giant wooden troll sculpture hidden near the Catawba River. Assembled from reclaimed regional timber, pallets, and fallen tree branches, the enormous figure sits quietly among the trees as part of a worldwide folklore art series.
The story
Danish recycling artist Thomas Dambo doesn't ship timber across the globe for his colossal installations; he builds them from whatever garbage the local landscape produces. Formally named "Big Pete with the Big Feet," this 65-foot reclining wooden giant was hammered together using regional construction waste, old shipping pallets, discarded bourbon barrels, and fallen branches gathered along the Catawba River basin.
Pete isn't a random solitary creature. He belongs to a seven-troll installation scattered across North Carolina—including five in Raleigh's Dorothea Dix Park and one in High Point—linked together in a fairytale story about protecting an ancient "Grandmother Tree." You didn't hear it from us, but placing a massive creature designed around environmental preservation right in the middle of a sprawling 1,400-acre master-planned development is the kind of quiet irony you can't script. While earthmovers shape the River District around him, the giant lies on his side among the trees, gazing over the trailheads.
What it's like
Getting to Pete means driving out West Boulevard until it morphs into River District Drive—an area still surrounded by active development and raw dirt. Grab on-street parking near Crescent River Road and head toward the wooded trailheads off Dixie River Road. Pete lies stretched out on a hillside in the trees, totally uncurated with no ticket booth, fence, or gift shop in sight. Local visitors note that weekend afternoons draw families climbing his oversized feet, so slip in on a weekday morning if you want to stand next to 65 feet of scrap lumber in peace.
The move: Follow the walking paths off Dixie River Road into the forest to hunt down Pete, then take a peaceful stroll along the nearby Catawba riverbanks.
- 📍 River District
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 8311 Dixie River Rd, Charlotte, NC 28278
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Metalmorphosis — Trade a 65-foot wooden giant in the woods for David Černý's 31-foot rotating stainless steel head three and a half miles away.
- Experience Anatomy — Shift from reclaimed wooden folklore to actual human anatomy at this private cadaver lab four miles north.
- The Jailhouse Whiskey & Cigar Bar — Follow up a timber hunt along the riverbanks with a drink inside a repurposed 1960s jail cell in Belmont.
Good to know
How much does it cost to visit Pete the Troll?
It is completely free and open to the public as part of the River District's public green spaces.
Where exactly is Pete located and where do I park?
Pete is tucked into the woods off Dixie River Road near the intersection of River District Drive and Crescent River Road. Use legal on-street parking nearby and walk the short unpaved path to the hillside.
What is Pete made out of?
He was built from salvaged local wood, including construction scraps from the River District site, discarded pallets, and fallen trees from the surrounding Catawba River area.
Is Pete part of a larger hunt or art series?
Yes, he is one of seven Thomas Dambo trolls in North Carolina that make up a statewide fairytale scavenger hunt.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: visitnc.com · charlottesgotalot.com · Axios · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-21