I Went Looking For Trolls And Discovered An Incredible Covered Bridge In Minnesota

I recently went on a troll hunt in and around Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. One of the clues sent me to the charming town of Frazee, which is located a few miles southeast of Detroit Lakes, and while I was there looking for trolls, I stumbled across a sizable turkey statue, as well as an incredible covered bridge in Minnesota that I'd never heard of before. Take a look at what I found!

Frazee is located about 15 minutes southeast of Detroit Lakes along U.S. Hwy. 10.

I went there looking for a troll but quickly learned that Frazee is home to the "world's largest" turkey.

I found the turkey pretty easily - it's right downtown. (There was a car show going on that day, so I couldn't get a great angle for my shot.)

Compared to other "world's largest" roadside attractions in Minnesota, this one seemed a little small. So, I was a little surprised that it's the "world's largest." But, hey - who am I to argue?

Just a few minutes from the turkey, on the north side of town, I found Wannigan Regional Park.

At first glance, it seemed straightforward enough. Some ball fields, a few porta-potties, and a trail heading out across the prairie, along the Otter Tail River, toward a stand of woods.

The surprise for me, though, was as I started my hike, I noticed a covered bridge in Wannigan Park.

Spanning the Otter Tail River, the bridge is picturesque and quite striking!

While it looks weathered and well used, this 90-foot span was built in the 1990s.

Even so, it does resemble other historic covered bridges in Minnesota.

An old rail car was used as its frame.

But when you walk out on it, it feels like it's always been a part of the Otter Tail River's history.

Another cool thing about this trail is that it's a spur of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

The North Country Trail just received National Park Service designation, so expect a few more amenities at this park in the future.

And just off this trail, I found my troll.

After spending some time with this jolly giant, I started the return trip to my car and enjoyed views of the charming covered bridge all the way back.

All in all, it was a pretty sweet little hike, and the park was unexpectedly scenic. One thing to be aware of when visiting this covered bridge in Wannigan Regional Park and hiking the trails there is that no drinking water is available (yet) in the park. So, be sure to fill and bring a water bottle with you. I used AllTrails Plus to track my hike, and the out-and-back trip to the troll was just under a mile on a wide, well-maintained trail; there was no appreciable elevation to worry about.

Have you visited this covered bridge in Minnesota or hiked the North Country National Scenic Trail at Wannigan Regional Park in Frazee, MN? Let us know in the comments! And if you dig hikes with a little bit of history, you'll definitely want to check out these Minnesota trails.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/minnesota/ancient-ruins-trails-mn/