Tommy Turtle

Tommy Turtle was created to honor the Turtle Mountains, the wooded highland that gives the region its name and character. Rather than a plain turtle, the town gave him a snowmobile to ride, a nod to the winter sport that thrives in the hills and forests of the area. The result is a monument with real personality, a big, friendly turtle roaring off on his machine.

He belongs to a proud tradition of oversized roadside monuments across North Dakota, joining the giant catfish in Wahpeton, the huge sandhill crane in Steele, Salem Sue the giant cow near New Salem, and the enormous W'eel Turtle just up the road in Dunseith. Each was built by a community wanting to give travelers a reason to stop, and each says something about the place that raised it.

The Turtle Mountains are not tall peaks but a rolling, forested upland that rises a few hundred feet above the surrounding plains, straddling the border between North Dakota and Manitoba. Cloaked in aspen, oak, and birch and dotted with hundreds of small lakes and ponds, they feel more like the north woods than the prairie, a green island in a sea of farmland.

That surprising landscape makes the region a haven for outdoor recreation in every season, from fishing and canoeing in summer to snowmobiling, skiing, and ice fishing in winter. Lake Metigoshe State Park and other protected areas preserve some of the finest of the woods and water, and Bottineau serves as a natural gateway to it all.

The Turtle Mountains are the homeland of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and of the Métis, whose communities lie in and around the hills to the northeast. The Chippewa, or Ojibwe, and the Métis, a people of mixed Indigenous and European descent with their own distinct culture and history, have long ties to this wooded country and its lakes.

Their presence is a living part of the region, and their history and traditions are woven into the story of the Turtle Mountains. For the traveler, understanding that these hills are more than a recreation area, that they are a homeland with deep roots, adds meaning to a visit and to the cheerful roadside welcome that Tommy Turtle offers at their edge.

Bottineau is a small, welcoming town at the southern foot of the Turtle Mountains, a base for exploring the lakes, forests, and trails of the region. From here it is an easy drive up into the hills to Lake Metigoshe State Park, north toward the International Peace Garden on the Canadian border, and around the wooded country that makes this corner of North Dakota so unlike the rest of the state.

Tommy Turtle makes a fitting first stop, a photo and a smile before heading into the hills. Paired with the giant W'eel Turtle in nearby Dunseith and the gardens and lakes of the surrounding country, he anchors a genuinely charming stretch of the northern plains that rewards travelers willing to leave the interstate behind.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Tommy Turtle, in Bottineau in northern North Dakota, is a giant and beloved sculpture of a turtle riding a snowmobile, a delightfully quirky roadside landmark celebrating the Turtle Mountains and the area's winter recreation. This enormous, cheerful turtle perched atop a snowmobile is a playful nod to both the region's name and its popularity for snowmobiling and winter fun, and it has become a fun and photogenic icon for the town of Bottineau, a gateway to the Turtle Mountains. Its whimsy and charm make it a delightful stop. A whimsical and cheerful roadside landmark, it delights visitors. With its giant turtle, Tommy Turtle offers a fun destination in North Dakota.

Tommy Turtle is riding a snowmobile to celebrate both the Turtle Mountains region, with a playful nod to its name, and the area's popularity for snowmobiling and winter recreation, as the wooded Turtle Mountains are a beloved destination for winter fun. The cheerful turtle on the snowmobile captures the town of Bottineau's identity as a gateway to the mountains and their four-season recreation. Its playful theme is part of its charm. Appreciating this makes a visit to Tommy Turtle in North Dakota especially fun.

You can admire and photograph the giant turtle riding a snowmobile, enjoy the whimsy of this cheerful roadside landmark, and take in its celebration of the Turtle Mountains and winter recreation, a quick but memorable stop. The giant turtle, the playful snowmobile theme, and the photo opportunities are the draws, making it a fun stop in Bottineau on the way to the Turtle Mountains. Its cheerful charm is the highlight. With its whimsy, Tommy Turtle offers a rewarding stop in North Dakota.

Tommy Turtle is an outdoor roadside landmark that can be visited and photographed year-round, with the mild months pleasant for stopping and clear days best for photos, while its snowmobile theme is especially fitting in the snowy winter months when the Turtle Mountains draw snowmobilers. For a comfortable stop aim for the mild months, or enjoy the fitting winter theme in the snowy season, at Tommy Turtle in North Dakota.

Tommy Turtle is in Bottineau in northern North Dakota, a gateway to the Turtle Mountains, within reach of Lake Metigoshe State Park, the International Peace Garden, the W'eel Turtle in Dunseith, and the Turtle Mountains. That makes Tommy Turtle a fun stop to combine with Lake Metigoshe State Park and the other attractions of the Turtle Mountains on a visit to North Dakota.