Deep within the 125-acre expanse of Constitution Lakes Park, the boundary between industrial decay and natural reclamation blurs. Once the site of the South River Brick Company, this land was heavily mined for Georgia clay throughout the 19th century.
When the factory ceased operations over five decades ago, the massive excavations filled with rainwater, transforming deep clay pits into a series of ponds and wetlands that now serve as a sanctuary for local wildlife and birdwatchers.
Why It Stands Out
While the park is a legitimate refuge for fauna, its most famous feature is a short loop known as the Doll’s Head Trail. The project was initiated by Joel Slaton, a local carpenter who began organizing the various bits of refuse scattered across the former industrial site.
Rather than simply cleaning up the trash, he arranged doll parts, old bottles, and fragments of brick into strange, often haunting tableaus. This is a collaborative, ongoing experiment in outsider art.
Visitors are invited to contribute their own installations, provided they follow one strict rule: every component must be scavenged from within the park’s boundaries. This philosophy turns the act of trail maintenance into a creative endeavor, as hikers gather rusted truck parts or weathered toy heads to build new displays.
The result is a surreal landscape where plastic faces peer out from the undergrowth and mosaics of glass catch the light filtered through the canopy.
Before You Go
The trailhead is located within Constitution Lakes Park, situated near the intersection of South River Industrial Boulevard SE and Moreland Avenue. Parking is available on-site, and you can follow the marked paths and boardwalks to reach the specific art loop.
Remember to respect the found art mandate—do not bring outside materials to leave behind, as the goal is to repurpose the park's existing debris.
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