Literal trash has been turned into cheeky, creepy treasure on the Doll’s Head Trail in Atlanta. This small loop within Constitution Lakes Park, once a brick company and later an illegal dump, has undergone a fascinating transformation. Today, the DeKalb County nature preserve protects wetlands and wildlife while hosting this makeshift folk art exhibit for everyone to enjoy. The Doll’s Head loop is dotted with junk from its past- disembodied baby dolls, bottles, bike parts, busted appliances, gas cans, and other random trash – now reassembled into colorful, unusual, and sometimes unsettling works of art. There’s always something new (or old!) to discover, making it a trail worth revisiting whenever you need a breather from the city.
*Note: The original boardwalk suffered major storm damage in 2021, but the new one is up and looking great as of May 2024!
Location and Hours
Address: Constitution Lakes Park, 1305 S. River Industrial Blvd. SE, Atlanta, GA 30315
The park is on Atlanta’s south side, just a few miles from downtown, with a designated parking lot. Take the paved trail about a quarter mile to the boardwalk and large, marshy pond. You’ll see signs for the Doll’s Head Trail here. The full trail is beginner-friendly with little elevation and is well-worth walking for the beautiful wetlands and wildlife.
Hours: Dawn until dusk, every day
Cost: Free!
A Bricks to Dolls History
From 1892 until 1907, the South River Brick Company operated here, dredging up Georgia’s red clay to produce bricks used in buildings, sidewalks, and sewer systems throughout the Southeast. After the brickworks shut down, the clay pits filled with rainwater, creating the Constitution Lakes. (Don’t picture anything too grand when you hear the word “lakes,” but it’s a very a picturesque wetlands now!)
In 2003, DeKalb County obtained the site, added trails and boardwalks, and turned it into a public park. But with limited funds for cleanup, the park remained littered with decades’ worth of dumped trash. In 2011, local carpenter Joel Slaton saw potential in the mess. He started collecting some of the doll parts and scraps, fashioning them into the first art pieces on the trail. His creations quickly inspired a community project, with volunteers making their own doll-part art from the park’s trash. Volunteers have hauled away heaps of garbage too. Slaton estimates that for every piece of art on the trail, 100 pieces of garbage have been removed from the park—a major cleanup achievement!
Wildlife
Keep your eyes peeled for birds in the park. Depending on the season, you might spot waxwings in the winter and spring, herons in the summer, and egrets and osprey in the fall. There have even been pelican sightings!
Beyond birds, you could catch a glimpse of otters playing in the water, or see deer, rabbits, raccoons and turtles enjoying the preserve. Keep an eye out for frogs and snakes too. Speaking of snakes, most are harmless but be cautious of copperheads- they are definitely venomous despite having the cutest Hershey kiss pattern!
A Couple More Tips
- There’s no guarantee of a working bathroom in the park. The porta-potty was locked the last time I went, so be sure to make a pit stop before you arrive.
- Watch out for poison ivy and poison oak. Remember, “Leaves of three, let them be.”
- Summer months can be buggy, so bring some insect repellent and do a tick check after wandering through any grassy or overgrown areas.
What’s Nearby?
You’re right in Atlanta, so there’s plenty to do after hanging with these dolls. My recommendations:
- More Atlanta trails – the city and the surrounding area has a lot of amazing green spaces. I love the Bamboo Forest on the East Palisades Trail, Arabia Mountain, and the Sope Creek Paper Mill ruins.
- The Starland Drive-In – I tried this drive-in for the first time during the pandemic and it’s sooo underrated. Perfect for a date night under the stars.
- The Center for Puppetry Arts – the world of puppetry is magical. See puppets from around the globe, and a lot of Jim Henson’s lovable creations. If you have a PINES library card, you can borrow a pass to get in for free!
Constitution Lakes has a long history of transformation, evolving from a forest to a brickworks to a dumping ground and finally to a public park. The land is now in its most eccentric era with the Doll’s Head Trail. It’s a must-see for anyone looking to explore a different side of Atlanta, where community effort has repurposed actual garbage into freaky art while honoring its natural surroundings. For the latest updates, check out their well-updated Facebook page.
photos taken from 2018-2022
