Go troll hunting: Giant troll in West Seattle

By Allison Peterson

Published August 2023

Updated August 30, 2023

Seek out this magical giant troll in West Seattle.

Seattle’s beloved Fremont Troll is getting some company this summer in the form of five giant wooden trolls that are being installed throughout the Seattle area. The most recent addition can be found in West Seattle’s Lincoln Park, and she is truly a magical sight to see.

Named Bruunidun (“Idun” for short, pronounced “Eden”), the troll is nestled among the trees playing an enormous flute to call home the native Orcas. Idun is made from recycled and found materials by Danish environmental artist Thomas Dambo (and assembled onsite with a team of local volunteers) as part of his Northwest Trolls Way Of The Bird King project. Idun is the third troll in the Pacific Northwest series with three more on the way. These models are found in Portland, Bainbridge Island, and West Seattle with three more coming to Issaquah, Vashon Island, and Ballard.

[Find the giant troll on Bainbridge Island]

The exact locations of Idun and her troll friends are not publicly disclosed, but that’s all a part of the adventure! Take your time exploring new places and enjoying the nature where the trolls reside. When you’re ready to find Idun, I’d recommend parking in the Lincoln Park #2 Parking Lot and following the mostly paved trail–and the crowds!–toward Colman Pool.

The walk from the parking lot to Idun is about 0.3 miles, so bring walking shoes or wheels for your little ones. Alternatively, you can park at the main Lincoln Park parking lot on Fauntleroy Way Southwest and hike down to the beach, through the dirt and gravel forest trails (about 1 mile, each way).

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Public restrooms and port-o-potties are available throughout Lincoln Park and at Colman Pool.

Many visitors are bringing nature gifts to leave at Idun’s feet. Keep your eye out for interesting stones, shells, sticks or leaves along your walk to Idun. Collect them and leave them for her (and others) to enjoy.

There are several fun things to do in Lincoln Park after your visit with Idun. Colman Pool is an outdoor waterfront pool with public swim sessions in the summer (The pool will be open until September 4th this year).

Lincoln Park also offers 5 miles of hiking trails for exploring the forests and beaches. Leashed dogs are welcome if you want to bring your furry friend along on the adventure.

The pebbly beaches in Lincoln Park are perfect for adventure-seekers who want to fish, skip rocks, or splash in the water.

Consider exploring more of West Seattle while you’re on your troll-hunting adventure. We drove from Lincoln Park, about 10 minutes along the waterfront, to Alki Beach, my favorite Seattle-area sandy beach. We played at the beach for a while then enjoyed lunch at the original Spud’s Fish & Chips. They’re going on nearly 100 years at this location, so you know it’s good!

While you walk along the beach, enjoy the incredible views across the water of the Seattle skyline. If you’re up for an even bigger adventure, you can also add on a side trip from Alki to downtown Seattle via the West Seattle Water Taxi. Hop on and take the ride into town to extend your adventure into the city.

After our lunch, we headed over to Alki’s “Whale Tail” playground and spent time exploring the whale sculpture and the sand area.

Located on Alki Avenue, rent and then take a spin on a bike, surrey, or e-bike from Wheel Fun Rentals. The 2.5-mile-long paved “boardwalk” will guide you to see the sites and tucker out the kiddos, just in time for the trip back home.

Find the Bainbridge troll

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