"Rita the Rock Planter" should be on your Colorado summer bucket list

Rita the Rock Planter by Thomas DamboPhoto byAuthor

(Colorado) Colorado has many gems - Pikes Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park, Maroon Bells, and two of Thomas Dambo's wooden trolls.

Dambo is a Danish artist, and his trolls are worldwide. Each troll serves as a unique tribute to the place they inhabit, honoring the history and culture of the location.

The newest addition to the Colorado Troll family was built in 2023 during the artist's cross-country road trip through America. Last summer, Dambo built ten trolls and thousands of birdhouses nationwide.

"Rita the Rock Planter" was one of the ten trolls!

She is located between Cripple Creek and Victor off of CO-67 near Little Grouse Mountain Trail.

Rita pays homage to the rich mining history that shaped the lands on the west side of Pikes Peak. She sits near an old gold mine, pushing rocks into the hole to prevent people from accidentally falling into the mine.

There are two parking areas for Rita, an upper and lower one. The upper parking lot is the closest to the troll, and it is a short walk to Rita on a hard-packed dirt surface.

The lower parking lot connects to Rita via a 1.9-mile trail loop. Visitors can find the troll from either direction by following the painted birdhouses and trail signs. It is a steep, rocky climb from the lower lot, but the scenery and views are worth the effort.

If you would like to learn more about Rita and other gems in the Cripple Creek/Victor area, please check out my video.