Entry No. 4 — the Atlanta file — filed under: folk-art
Doll's Head Trail (Constitution Lakes Park)
A flooded 19th-century brick-quarry pit turned wetland preserve, laced with a forest spur where visitors have spent over a decade nailing, wiring, and balancing hundreds of broken doll heads, bicycle wheels, dominoes, and bottles found on-site onto tree stumps and branches.
The story
In 2011, Joel Slaton, a local carpenter facing a quiet spell during the post-2008 recession, started wandering through Constitution Lakes Park—a 125-acre wetland preserve sitting over the flooded clay quarries of the old South River Brick Company. Among the marshland and wooden walkways, Slaton stumbled across decades of dumped refuse rusting away in the timber. Drawing inspiration from Georgia folk artist Howard Finster, he began collecting disembodied doll parts, broken tiles, bicycle wheels, and vintage bottles scattered through the brush, wiring and nailing them onto tree stumps as impromptu folk art displays.
What began as a solitary upcycling project evolved into a collective installation. Slaton laid down one cardinal rule for visitors who wanted to join in: every single component must be scavenged inside the park boundary. You don't bring doll heads from home; you hunt for whatever the forest floor surrenders. Over the years, hikers have respected the code, crafting dark-humored vignettes, painted wood signs, and small shrines that turn abandoned industrial trash into a living, shifting outdoor museum.
What it's like
You pull off South River Industrial Boulevard into a stark parking lot surrounded by auto shops and industrial yards. The walk begins along calm wooden boardwalks over marshy ponds where egrets and turtles hold court, but once you branch onto the dirt spur of the Doll's Head Trail, the mood flips. Weathered doll heads stare down from tree crotches, plastic limbs dangle from branches, and rusted machine parts pair with hand-painted quips. Visit after a dry spell, because the unpaved forest path turns into thick mud after rain, and pack heavy bug spray in warm weather when mosquitoes swarm the wetlands. Lock your car and keep all valuables out of sight before hitting the trail.
The move: Walk the 1.6-mile loop of boardwalks over Constitution Lakes' marshy ponds, then take the short forest spur to spot the newest found-object assemblages and add a piece of your own — using only materials scavenged inside the park boundary.
- 📍 South River Gardens / East Atlanta
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 1305 South River Industrial Blvd SE, Atlanta, GA 30315
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Folk Art Park — Pair Joel Slaton's scavenged forest trail with Atlanta's city-sanctioned showcase of Georgia outsider art built over the Downtown Connector.
- Eyedrum Art & Music Gallery — Follow up the eerie, found-object woodland path with a visit to Atlanta's long-running artist-run hub for experimental art and music.
- Crystal Blue — Balance out the eerie plastic eyes peering from tree crotches with a dive into Little Five Points' oldest storefront for incense, crystals, and occult literature.
- Delta Flight Museum — Trade the scavenged industrial refuse of southeast Atlanta's woods for polished aviation relics housed inside twin 1940s hangars.
Good to know
How much does it cost to enter?
It costs nothing. Constitution Lakes Park and the Doll's Head Trail are free public grounds.
Can I bring my own doll heads or trash to add to the trail?
No. The defining rule of the trail is that every piece of art must be constructed using items scavenged inside the park boundary. Bringing outside trash in is strictly forbidden.
How long is the hike?
The main loop through Constitution Lakes Park is roughly 1.6 miles long, consisting of boardwalks over the water and the unpaved forest section housing the art.
Who created the Doll's Head Trail?
Atlanta carpenter Joel Slaton started assembling the found-art pieces along the trail in February 2011.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · decorhint.com · atlantamagazine.com · wabe.org · Atlas Obscura · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-19