REGENT, ND (KXNET) — KX’s One-Day ND Destinations column has ventured to every part of western North Dakota in search of the best places to visit for a day trip, and has covered everything from the state’s most populated cities to state parks and small towns like Jamestown and Medora. Today, though, our journey takes us to Regent — a place that lacks the population of many of ND’s other more notable areas, but still sets itself apart as a perfect travel stop due to its unusual tourist attractions.

As far as notable communities in North Dakota go, Regent is fairly minuscule: according to the most recent U.S. Census, its population was only 167 in 2022. Despite this small size, the town receives an unexpectedly large number of tourists every year, primarily because of what these individuals can see on their way in and out of the community. The road to Regent is known as the Enchanted Highway, and is famous for the titanic series of statues that can be found along the main road leading in and out of town.

Even if North Dakotans know very little about Regent itself, they are almost certainly familiar with this collection of avant-garde art. As some of the largest metal sculptures in the United States, these astounding attractions alone are more than enough to draw visitors and showcase the skill of their creator. However, there is a deeper story behind these intriguing attractions than simply art for art’s sake: It’s a tale of a journey to revive a community in need, and a testament to the sheer determination brought on by a clear goal and a love of their work. In this edition of One-Day ND Destinations, we set out to discover not only the secrets of the Highway itself, but also the town that lies at its end — and in the process, learn about the man responsible for breathing life back into one small town desperately in need of it.

The Highway’s Highlights

Ironically, despite its name, the Enchanted Highway is technically not considered a highway at all: While its northern portion does extend into 100 1/2th Avenue Southwest, it is actually a long stretch of road leading from the Gladstone exit on Interstate 94 to Regent. Even if they haven’t traveled this road, though, there is a strong chance that anyone in the area has already seen at least one of its works of art. The Geese in Flight piece, located at what is considered to be Mile 0 of the trail, is clearly visible from Interstate 94 — and stands out even among the other works on the trail for its size and ability to change depending on what angle one views it from. For a time, the spectacular display was even known as the largest scrap metal structure in the world at 110 feet tall and 150 feet wide.

Those who do choose to stray off the beaten path in search of the other pieces will quickly find themselves on a side path free from the hustle and bustle of the main road, full of unique structures to discover. Upon arriving at the Highway’s main portion (which is more or less a direct road to Regent), the first sculpture that travelers will be able to see is Deer Crossing at Mile 3: A very tall male and female deer bounding over a similarly-sized fence. Intriguingly, a closer look behind the sculptures shows that their frames are designed like that of the typical billboard — making them an intriguing start to the massive exhibit and a fitting display of what is yet to come.

After passing the deer, the next metal art exhibit to be featured is Grasshoppers in the Field on Mile 15 — which, as the name would imply, features a gigantic grasshopper visible from the road. The insect is certainly impressive on its own thanks to the unusual geometry and scale of the sculpture, but made even more so when combined with the other displays located next to it, including a series of smaller grasshoppers and metal cornstalks. Like many other sculpture stops, it also features a small covered area for picnics and rest stops, but also offers a play structure for younger visitors to enjoy.

Following the grasshoppers, tourists will then come across the Fisherman’s Dream, located on Mile 19 of the highway. This display features a variety of fish of varying shapes and colors, long strips designed to resemble waves, a miniature shipwreck, and even large metal pieces of ‘seaweed’ that hold up many of the other sculptures.

Following this abundance of aquatic animals, Mile 24’s Pheasants on the Prairie is a slightly smaller collection of sculptures, but still features a large and rather impressive quintet of birds.

As the highway nears its final displays, guests can see the tallest structure of the collection on Mile 26: Theodore Roosevelt Rides Again, a massive tribute to who is undoubtedly North Dakota’s favorite president. This thin but tremendous replica of Teddy also features a small stagecoach and horses, another reference to the early frontier days of ND.

The last structure to be featured on the path is the World’s Largest Tin Family at Mile 30: a massive father, mother, and son who effectively serve as a welcome sign for the town of Reagent as a whole.

At the end of the Enchanted Highway, on Mile 32.5, visitors will find themselves in the tiny town of Regent — where they can visit the official Enchanted Highway Gift Shop. Inside, guests can purchase miniature versions of each exhibit, digital prints, and other souvenirs to remember their trip.

Even after a visit to the Enchanted Highway, however, there is still plenty more to see before turning around and returning to reality…

The Royal Treatment

Driving further through Regent past the gift shop, a tourist can visit both a military tank on display and the Hettinger County Historical Museum — but the town’s most peculiar feature comes even further down the path. At the far end of the area lies the Enchanted Castle : an unexpectedly large motel built from the remnants of an abandoned school. The building also serves as the final destination on one’s journey across the Enchanted Highway, as its most recent additions (a knight and dragon locked in fervent combat) are located just outside the building. At the time of this article’s publication, these sculptures are still works in progress: upon their completion, the dragon will be able to spit fire thanks to a built-in propane system.

Within the castle gates, one can see that the interior itself has also been redesigned to fit the theme, as evidenced by decorative suits of armor, a massive fireplace, and a selection of medieval weapons behind the reception desk. Despite this thematic choice, the individual rooms themselves more than live up to modern standards: Many, including the two king and queen suites, are fully equipped with all the modern conveniences one would hope to find in a hotel — such as multi-sink bathrooms, flat-screen televisions, and even hot tubs.

By the end of one’s trek through Regent, they’ll likely have worked up an appetite— and while the city itself has a fair share of options (including a local bar and a community Burger and Brat grill on Wednesday nights), the Castle hosts multiple eateries for anyone seeking a royal feast. Outside of the standard continental breakfast room, the main dining area is themed to a medieval tavern, and hosts both old-school decor and modern conveniences. The Excalibur Steakhouse located nearby, meanwhile, is only open on Saturday and Sunday due to a lack of available staff, but features a more “upscale” dining room with fireplaces, water walls, and suits of armor dotting the area. Luckily for those who pay a visit during the week, both restaurants use the same menu, allowing visitors to enjoy their assortment of steaks, hamburgers, and seafood whenever they visit.

The Man Behind the Magic

If one stops in Regent, there’s a strong chance they’ll come across a man by the name of Gary Greff. An older gentleman in his 70s, Greff is none other than the Enchanted Highway’s creator, as well as the one responsible for renovating the area’s former high school into what is now the Enchanted Castle. But what exactly was it that drove him to dedicate his life to such a monumental endeavor?

“I had to figure out a way to keep bringing people from the interstate to my small town,” Greff explains. “I came back home after working in education for 18 years, and saw that Regent was dying — it went from 500 people to only 100 very quickly, so I wanted to find some way to keep it alive. Eventually, I heard of a local farmer who built a small man holding a bale of hay. And that’s when it dawned on me… the farmers and ranchers here are good at welding. Even then, people probably wouldn’t drive 35 miles out of their way for small sculptures… but what about some of the world’s largest?”

Ever since that fateful realization, Greff has made it his life’s goal to build and maintain the Enchanted Highway — and even now, 35 years later. he is still designing, constructing, and raising metal sculptures both on the road and in Regent, with each taking an average of eight years to complete. However. his impact on the community goes far further than just these metal marvels: in addition to almost single-handedly constructing the Highway’s offerings, he spends his days managing the souvenir shop, running and refurbishing the castle, and even negotiating with landowners to find appropriate homes for his creations.

While he attempts different styles throughout the massive exhibit, the process behind creating them is fairly straightforward, albeit somewhat long: a single new piece can take up to eight years. At the time of this article’s publication, he is putting the finishing touches on the Knight and Dragon outside of the Enchanted Castle in between work periods, and has already made plans for another sculpture he refers to as ‘The Web’, a metallic take on what is known as ‘string art’.

“Most of my work is themed to the Midwest,” he states. “I take something I want to build, and draw it on graph paper. Then I decide the distance each square on the graph paper represents. I’ll go into the gym of the Enchanted Castle, spread butcher paper across the floor, and draw my squares on there. It goes from the little graph paper to the big graph paper, and then to the metal. I wanted each sculpture to be different, and they each have their own lives, but I still subscribe to the idea of Folk Art — a pheasant should look like a pheasant, and a deer should look like a deer. I always tell people that if a sculpture doesn’t look like it’s supposed to, I’ll just say it’s modern art.”

While the Enchanted Highway has quickly become a hidden gem for many tourists who travel through North Dakota (and for a time held a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for housing the world’s largest metal sculptures), it has unfortunately not been recognized as much by the state’s tourism board —a factor that may spell an untimely end to the renovation project. Outside of a one-time grant of $75,000 from the ND State Government in the 2019-2020 budget season, the project has received no federal or state support. The proceeds from the gift shop (roughly $12,000 – $15,000 a year, according to Greff) are just enough to keep the project afloat, but the main concern lies in what exactly will happen when Gary is unable to continue: hiring a welder skilled and effective enough to take up the job in his stead would be an immensely costly endeavor that would require a state grant at the very least.

“I do about 90% of the work on the Enchanted Highway,” Greff continues. “You can’t get up to 90-100 feet by yourself, especially at my age. I try to get help if I can afford it, but that usually only helps me get one other person on the job. The city helped me at the beginning, but fell off after a while. I know that if the state doesn’t help out, the project will eventually fail. I’d need them to set up an endowment or trust fund. I figure that when I pass away, it’s going to take $200,000 just to maintain them. They’ll have to hire a full-time welder, which is at least $100,000 a year, as well as a part-time welder for $50,000 to help with the high elevation work. The other $50,000 would need to go to paint and supplies. What we have now can’t keep the sites maintained, and I’d hate to see the project die with me.”

While the Enchanted Highway may be struggling with sustainability soon, the impact it has had on Regent can certainly not be ignored: it is estimated that 6,000 tourist cars drive into the area every year, many of which also venture into the town (and bring surges of money into the community as they do so). Despite his concerns, Gary is still very hopeful that with the right funding and support, there can be a bright future for the project — and one that can benefit North Dakota as a whole, at that.

“I care about Regent,” he explains, “but I also care about the state. I want us to have something to offer tourists that’s unique, and different than anything else. In my mind, the Enchanted Highway could become the Mount Rushmore of North Dakota: it’s free, unique, and has something that everyone can enjoy. Hopefully. at the end of the highway, we can make Regent into a real tourist destination. My dream is to one day make a metal art theme park with activities for families — but I’ve got lots of dreams, and no money. If we can just keep the project going, then I feel that everything else will fall into place, even after I’m gone. This isn’t for me… it’s for anyone who enjoys art. I’ve had people who say they come to ND just for the highway, and that means it was worth doing.”

If nothing else, to Greff, both the Highway and Castle are examples of his belief that everybody is capable of doing great things, regardless of their previous experiences… even if they may not be what one might expect.

“I’m not a millionaire,” he concludes. “I worked from my bootstraps up. If Gary Greff — who had never laid a bead to weld or had an art class in his life — could build something like this, then you, or anybody else who comes in, can do anything they set their mind to. You don’t have to let anybody say what you can or can’t do.”

It is the sincere hope of our travel writer that this column’s entries serve as more than a brief photo gallery — rather, that they inspire the urge to visit these places and support them yourself. Only through the continued support of tourism and North Dakotan communities can these incredible works be kept alive for future generations, and show off the hidden wonders of the Peace Garden State.

The town of Regent may be a far cry from what it was in the past, but the hard work of Greff and his associates has helped breathe new life into their home through nothing but grit, skilled labor, and North Dakota hospitality. Unfortunately, despite this message and their enormous popularity, the future of the Enchanted Highway is still somewhat up in the air. Regardless of what becomes of the sculptures in the future, though, their impact will not be forgotten. The sculptures and the world that lies beyond them are a beautiful showcase of just how strong hometown pride can be— and of course, an excellent One-Day Destination for the entire family to enjoy.

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