The Enchanted Highway showed up on my search of the main sites to see in North Dakota. When I stopped at the North Dakota visitor centre they also mentioned this roadtrip so I put it on my “to see” list.
Driving east along Highway 94 from Theodore Roosevelt National Park I started my roadtrip down the Enchanted Highway at exit 72. From Gladstone to Regent is a 32 miles stretch along county highway 21 that features some of the world’s largest scrap metal sculptures. There are seven uniquely different artworks along this highway.
The sculptures were made in the late 1980’s by a local artist named Gary Greff. He wanted to help save his small town of Recent, North Dakota and came up with this inventive idea to put his town on the map. It worked.
The movie Field of Dreams with the phrase “if you build it, he will come” inspired him to create this art. He spent a year learning to weld and then began to create. He christened the road Enchanted Highway. It is now listed as one of the top 10 sites to see in the North Dakota.
Seven Sculptures along the Enchanted Highway
The sculptures are made of tin, used oil well pipe and oil tanks. Geese in Flight and Deer Crossing are only a few miles apart with the rest being 15 miles further down County Road 21. The other sculptures are approximately 5 miles apart.
Each sculpture has a large, well developed parking area and several have picnic shelters making this a fun way to spend a day. There is a gift shop in Regent where you can purchase miniatures of each statue.
Geese in Flight
Geese in Flight is the first sculpture located right along Highwy 94 near Gladstone. This structure is 110 feet tall and 150 feet wide. The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes it as the largest scrap metal sculpture in the world. It is huge, stunning and mind boggling as to how the artist actually contructed this structure.
Deer Crossing
Deer Crossing the second sculpture is just a few miles down the road. This sculpture is a leaping 75 foot buck and a 50 foot tall doe. There is also a metal maze that I enjoyed walking through.
Grasshoppers
Grasshoppers is about 15 miles from the first two sculptures. The sculpture has a large yellow grasshopper that is 50 feet tall, along with smaller ones and wheat stalks. Stunning.
Fisherman’s Dream
The Fisherman’s Dream sculpture has serveral different pieces depicting fish jumping from the sea, a boat, the fisherman atop one of the structures and cattails to finish the scene. The largest is a 70 foot tall trout. A beautiful sculpture that you can walk around and really get to see how massive they all are.
Pheasants on the Prairie
Pheasants on the Prairie has 4 birds. A 40 foot tall rooster, a 35 foot hen, and two chicks. They were so big I had to take the picture from the road in order to get them all in the frame. The sculptures are so well done with the beautiful colours and textures on the birds make for stunning structures.
Teddy Roosevelt Rides Again
A giant Theodore Roosevelt on his horse along with a stage coach just below the huge scrap metal sculpture. This artist has so much talent.
The Family along the Enchanted Highway
The Family was the first sculpture created and is known as the world’s largest tin family. Dad is 45 feet tall, Mother is 44 feet tall and the Son 23 feet tall. I enjoyed this sculpture as each of the pieces definitely had a fun personality to them.
I did not really know what to expect from The Enchanted Highway and was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed my roadtrip along this enchanting county road. If you get the chance I recommend getting off the major highway to explore and admire these enchanting sculptures.