This 32 Mile North Dakota Road Trip Takes You Past the World’s Largest Scrap Metal Zoo

The Enchanted Highway, North Dakota

Most people drive right past North Dakota without a second thought. But hidden in the western part of the state sits one of America’s weirdest attractions: The Enchanted Highway.

This 32-mile stretch is home to massive scrap metal sculptures that have been turning heads since the late 80s. Here’s what makes this offbeat attraction worth the detour.

From Principal to a Self-Taught Metal Artist

Gary Greff wasn’t an artist. He was just a regular teacher and principal from Regent who got a crazy idea back in 1989.

After watching “Field of Dreams,” that whole “if you build it, they will come” thing stuck with him. So he taught himself to weld. He started collecting junk metal, turning rusty scraps into giant sculptures.

What’s crazy is Greff still takes care of these things himself. That’s some serious DIY spirit. Greff continues to maintain these sculptures, regularly repairing them to keep them in top condition.

There are accounts of local farmers and a Boy Scout troop, assisting with the upkeep of some sculptures and putting up picnic tables along the highway.

The Enchanted Highway Was Meant to Save a Town

The population peaked in 1950 at 405 but Regent was dying a slow death in the 80s. This dropped from 400+ to under 300.

Stores closed up, young people left town, and it was heading toward ghost town territory fast. Greff’s big metal sculptures were a last-ditch effort to save his hometown. He figured these weird roadside attractions might pull some tourists off the interstate and into Regent.

Now the Enchanted Highway attracts approximately 6,000 tourist cars annually. Before Greff’s project, most interstate travelers simply bypassed Regent, as there was little reason to make the detour.

32-Miles Worth of Giant Sculptures

The Enchanted Highway runs 32 miles from I-94 to Regent, making it one of the longest sculpture trails anywhere built by one guy. The distance between sculptures was carefully planned to keep drivers engaged throughout the journey.

Greff has reported that some of the sculptures need to be repainted every 3 to 5 years, depending on weather conditions, so the state of North Dakota allocated $75,000 in its 2019–2020 budget for maintenance.

The Sculptures Talk About North Dakota Life

The sculptures aren’t random—they celebrate what makes North Dakota tick. The designs reflect the region’s identity, from pheasants and deer that roam the area to grasshoppers that once plagued local farmers.

To make them, Greff used whatever he could get his hands on: broken-down tractors, oil drums and wire mesh, and farm equipment that had seen better days. He began the project in 1989, and by 2006, seven sculptures were finished.

Geese in Flight

The first thing you see off I-94 is “Geese in Flight,” and it’s a monster from 2001. Somehow Greff made these metal birds look like they’re actually flying.

This thing holds the Guinness record for the biggest scrap metal sculpture in the world—110 feet tall and 154 feet wide. It shows geese flying over a wheat field, weighs more than 78 tons, and mostly contains old oil pipes and drums.

On windy days, the whole sculpture whistles as air passes through it. The geese catch the sunlight throughout the day, changing appearance as shadows shift across their metallic bodies.

Deer Crossing

Three miles down the road stands “Deer Crossing,” made in 2002. It shows a buck, doe, and fawn jumping across the prairie.

Each deer stretches over 75 feet long and stands up to 30 feet high. Greff spent 18 months arranging them to look like a family on the move, with the buck leading the way and the fawn following behind.

It took 8 tons of reinforced steel and the hardest part was making those skinny deer legs strong enough to hold up the heavy bodies while still looking right.

Locals say the deer look most life-like at dawn and dusk when the low light makes their metal shapes stand out against the sky.

Grasshoppers in the Field

This piece was finished in 1999 (one of the early ones). Mile 15 brings you face-to-face with some bugs that could star in a B-movie.

“Grasshoppers in the Field” features five huge metal insects, with the biggest one standing 40 feet tall and wingspan reaching up to 25 feet. The legs are made from actual tractor parts and welded pieces of old plows.

The bodies are old fuel tanks and oil drums. And antennae? Metal pipes from the farm. They’re arranged like they’re munching on wheat. Each bug took about four months to build. The green paint fades fast under the harsh Dakota sun, so they need touch-ups pretty regularly.

Fisherman’s Dream

At mile 19 sits “Fisherman’s Dream,” finished back in 2006. It shows a giant angler reeling in five massive fish, with the biggest one stretching 70 feet long.

Greff talked to local fishing nuts before building this one, then created metal versions of walleye, pike, and bass, all common in Dakota lakes. The fisherman stands about 30 feet tall and looks like he’s about to get pulled in.

Kids get a kick out of this one, standing next to fish way bigger than anything their grandpa ever caught. The entire sculpture required over 50 tons of scrap metal, with much of it coming from old farm equipment and oil field parts.

Pheasants on the Prairie

“Pheasants on the Prairie” on Mile 24 was finished in 1998, a classic representation of Dakota’s hunting life. It features a rooster pheasant standing 40 feet tall, with a 35-foot hen and three chicks between 15 and 25 feet high.

Greff studied real pheasants to get the details right. He had to develop special welding techniques to create the delicate metal “feathers” that wouldn’t snap off in the wind. During hunting season, guys with actual pheasants stop to take photos comparing their birds to these giants. It’s become something of a Dakota tradition.

The installation used approximately 35 tons of scrap metal and took nearly two years to complete. The colorful paint scheme is pretty ingenious but requires a touch-up every two years with lots of weather-resistant paint.

Theodore Roosevelt Rides Again

Near mile 26, Teddy Roosevelt charges across the prairie on horseback. This 51-foot-tall sculpture (built in 2006) pays tribute to the president who ranched in the nearby Badlands before becoming president.

Greff researched Roosevelt’s appearance, how he rode, and even what kind of saddle he used. The horse and rider weigh about 60 tons and needed serious reinforcement to handle Dakota winds, particularly prairie storms.

Local school kids also contributed ideas for the design. The sculpture includes details like Roosevelt’s signature glasses, mustache, and Rough Rider hat.

The World’s Largest Tin Family

Just outside Regent stands the “World’s Largest Tin Family” or Greff’s first attempt at a giant sculpture back in 1991. It shows a 45-foot farmer, his 44-foot wife, and their 23-foot son.

Made from oil barrels and scrap tin, these figures have become local celebrities. The farmer holds a pitchfork, the mom a broom, and the kid has a lollipop. Since this was Greff’s first rodeo, he hit some snags—the figures collapsed several times during construction.

But they’ve stood strong for over 30 years now, getting a fresh paint job in 2020 that brightened them right up.

The Gift Shop Funds New Sculptures

When you hit Regent, there’s a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs of your weird road trip. Opened in 2012, it sells miniature versions of the sculptures and local honey. Greff often hangs out there, signing things and telling stories. The shop has displays showing how the sculptures were built, with sketches and construction photos.

Money from sales goes back into maintaining the sculptures. Popular items include t-shirts and build-your-own sculpture kits for kids.

The Old High School Became a Castle Hotel

Greff didn’t stop with sculptures. He turned Regent’s old high school into a medieval-themed hotel called the “Enchanted Castle.” Opened in 2012, it’s got 19 rooms, a drawbridge entrance, and suits of armor in the hallways. The old gym is now a restaurant, and classrooms are guest rooms.

The hotel created jobs for locals who’d otherwise have to drive an hour for work. Guests can enjoy regionally inspired cuisine at the restaurant, with ingredients sourced from nearby farms. It’s open from April to October, when most tourists come through. The rest of the year, it’s quiet as a ghost town.

Driving the Enchanted Highway

The Enchanted Highway starts at Exit 72 on I-94 near Gladstone and runs south to Regent. Don’t quit after seeing just the first few or you’ll miss the best ones.

There’s only two in the first 15 miles. The rest are bunched together in the bottom half, with no more than five miles between them. Each site is marked with signs, making navigation simple even without GPS.