The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Expect to see the odd at Doll’s Head Trail
Q: What is the Doll’s Head Trail?
A: The Doll’s Head Trail is a quirky little trail that is part of Constitution Lakes Park, which spreads over 125 acres in DeKalb County.
Walking into the park through a forest of trees and undergrowth, on a concrete sidewalk, seems like any other nature trail.
It’s quiet, insects are chirping and an occasional plane or train is heard in the distance.
About five minutes walking into the park, you get a hint something is different. There are two doll heads hanging from a tree above.
The sidewalk leads to a boardwalk next to a lake.
Birdwatchers can gather, on occasion, to see the 45 species there, according to the park’s Facebook page.
It is here the sidewalk turns to a red-brick gravel trail.
You see signs saying “Keep to the bobs.” Small orange fishing bobs are glued to trees, leading you to the Doll’s Head Trail. It’s a short walk, about 20 minutes from the park’s entrance, to the loop that features the displays of broken toys. You get an uneasy feel- ing walking through the flat trail as you notice random parts of discarded toys with messages attached. Signs along the path warn of poison ivy. The displays have ground rules, according to a recent article in Living Intown mag- azine. “Artwork must be family friendly - no profan- ity or jagged-edged pieces - and consist solely of junk and other material found in the park or carried in by the river.”
You can leave hand-written messages on discarded, raw materials on the trail. Shattered bricks are easy to find so a Sharpie comes in handy.
According to the maga- zine, Doll’s Head Trail began in 2010, when self-employed carpenter Joel Slaton began visiting the park. He started cleaning up the area and leaving behind little decorations.
“I just set this up as a joke for the Audubon people and regular visitors,” Sla- ton told the magazine. “I put the sign up (Doll’s Head Trail) in February of 2011 for people to stumble upon.”
According to the AtlantaTrails.com, “This park was once the site of a 19th-cen- tury brick company that excavated Georgia’s famous red clay. The excavation pits, now filled with water, comprise the duo of the Constitution Lakes.”
The best way to describe Doll’s Head Trail is creatively weird, a little on the creepy side.
As you leave the trail, there’s a little sign on a tree, directing you to “The Real World.”
The park is located in the industrial zone along Moreland Avenue, about one mile south of Starlight Drive-In.