Finding Mama Mimi the Troll in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Add a little magic to your visit to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, by finding Mama Mimi the troll!
This incredible sculpture by Danish artist Thomas Dambo is tucked away in Rendezvous Park near Moose, Wyoming, and the hike and experience is well worth a few hours of your time.
Below, you’ll find everything you need to know in order to meet Mama Mimi yourself. I’ve included details on parking, where to find the troll in the park, the best ways to view the sculpture, what else to do nearby, and information on Thomas Dambo’s trolls.
Let’s go troll hunting!
Mama Mimi gazes across the pond at Rendezvous Park.
What are Thomas Dambo’s Trolls?
Thomas Dambo is a Danish sculptor who has created a series of troll sculptures around the world. These trolls are sourced from local and recycled materials in order to make each sculpture as eco-friendly as possible.
Dambo works with local arts councils, environmental groups, and visitors bureaus to come up with a unique troll that reflects that specific location’s unique beauty and ecological benefits. The trolls come with a unique name, personality, and perspective, which are highlighted in signage at each location.
The end result is a larger-than-life sculpture that showcases the power of reusing materials and the blending of art and environment.
You can explore the interactive Troll map here to see which trolls are located near you.
Mama Mimi, the troll found near Jackson, Wyoming, is just one of Dambo’s many troll sculptures. We also have visited Rita the Rock Planter outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and it was just as magical.
Where is Mama Mimi?
You can find Mama Mimi in the beautiful Rendezvous Park off of Moose Wilson Road.
If you’re visiting Grand Teton National Park or Jackson, Wyoming, Rendezvous Park is about 10 minutes from both.
This location makes seeing the troll easy from the Granite Canyon entrance of the national park, or as a short trip from downtown Jackson.
Within the park, Mama Mimi is located on a small pond, which makes for a beautiful location for photos. You can find out more about where to see here in the park below.
Since there are multiple ways to approach Mama Mimi, this hike is great for kids as you can go the shorter or longer way around to see her.
Plus, I am all about some sort of pay-off when hiking with kids—be that a waterfall or a troll!—and labeling this experience as “troll hunting” instead of a hike will get even reluctant little hikers on the trail.
Parking for Mama Mimi
Now that I’ve convinced you to visit this piece of art, you’ll want to head over to Rendezvous Park. The entrance to the park is well marked on Moose Wilson Road just north of the intersection of Moose Wilson Road and Teton Pass Highway.
You'll turn onto River Springs Drive, which will fork shortly after you enter the park. Take the right hand fork, and you’ll find plenty of parking on a gravel lot.
Parking is free.
How to View Mama Mimi
When you enter the park, you’ll arrive from the parking lot at a concrete circular area with a park map, restrooms, and several paths leading away from it.
You’ll want to take the center most path from this circular area, keeping the pond to your left. You’ll notice a grove of trees next to the pond and directly opposite the circular area—this is the area you’ll be walking towards.
Option 1: Up Close and Personal
The author and the Camping Kiddos on the Mama Mimi sculpture
When you approach the small grove of trees directly on the pond, you can go around them to the left or right. Either way, you’ll soon be looking at the back of Mama Mimi!
She sits serenely on this small pond, stretching out one leg to rest it on a tiny island.
From this angle, you’re best suited to interact with Mama Mimi. Take in every detail of her from her angular wooden arms and legs to her large, expressive eyes.
She seems to blend in with the elements around her just as much as she stands out.
Mama Mimi is also made to be a bridge to the tiny island in front of you. Carefully, climb into her lap, then walk or slide down her leg to get to the island. There’s not much to do once you’re there, but the novelty of the situation is worth a try.
If you’re trying to get a photo of Mama Mimi from this location, you’ll want to stand out on the island for your best shot. She’s so large that you’ll still struggle to fit her into your viewfinder.
Option 2: Zoom Out
Thankfully, there’s a second way to view Mama Mimi that allows you to see her better in her natural surroundings.
From where you’re standing next to the sculpture (and assuming that you’re facing out towards the pond just as Mama Mimi is doing), you’ll take the dirt path to your right.
Follow this until you see a branching of the trail, and go to the left over a small wooden bridge.
The Camping Kiddos stop to check out some fish in the stream before heading onto the trail.
From here, the trail branches again; take the left fork, which heads into a grove of trees.
You’ll come to a set of large stepping stones across a corner of the pond. Hop across these to arrive on the raised walkway along the Snake River. From here, you’ll turn back to the left once more to find 2 excellent viewing points of Mama Mimi, the pond, and the mountains behind her.
Can you find Mama Mimi on the opposite bank?
From this perspective, you can appreciate how large the sculpture is, while seeing her within her complete natural setting.
Once you’ve taken your photos and videos of Mama Mimi from this area, you can turn left off of the Snake River walkway onto a small walking trail back into the park. Follow this trail back to the circular concrete area near the parking lot where you started.
What else can I do near Mama Mimi?
Rendezvous Park and Mama Mimi are quite close to Jackson, Wyoming, which puts you in the perfect location to have other outdoor family fun while you’re in the area.
Grand Teton National Park
I highly recommend a visit to Grand Teton National Park, which is an easy 30 minute drive from Rendezvous Park. If you take Moose Wilson Road north, you’ll enter the park from the south and will go by the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve, one of my favorite parts of the entire national park.
The Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve has some of the prettiest, easy hikes in Grand Teton National Park, which are perfect for kids. You can also check out one of the free kids adventure backpacks from the front desk of the visitors center to help your budding naturalist learn more about this area.
The visitors center at the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve is one of the best in the park as all of the displays are centered around the 5 senses and the ways you can use them. My kids loved it!
Snake River Float Tour
Another excellent family friendly adventure in this area is to do a river float of the Snake River. These gentle rides take place on stable rafts that guide your family through some of the most scenic parts of Jackson Hole.
We did this tour with my children, and it was one of their favorite parts of this area.
Jackson, Wyoming
The town of Jackson is adorable and is well worth a few hours of your time.
Kids will enjoy seeing the massive elk antler arches on the town square. Don’t miss out on the free Wild West show that takes place in the square Monday-Saturday at 6 PM. It’s a shootout worthy of John Wayne!
In addition, there are plenty of cute shops where you can find great souvenirs. If you’re looking for a kid-friendly place to eat, I recommend the Bunnery on North Cache Street about a block from the square.
