Constitution Lakes Park and Wilderness Area

The park is located off Moreland Ave and South River Industrial Blvd, very close to I 285. Once the site of a brickyard, the lakes were created when water filled the clay excavation pits. The production of bricks ceased more than 50 years ago and nature has since restored the space to a wetland habitat capable of sustaining birds, fish, wildlife, and a wide range of plant species. When you get to the park drive to the end of the gravel road, where there is parking space for 40 vehicles.

We will walk a trail that goes partly around the lake and then crosses it on a boardwalk. The first 0.4 miles are paved. Before getting to the boardwalk we will do short side trips on the Frog Pond trail and on a trail that goes between another lake (rather a lagoon) and the banks of the South River. We will also walk along the Doll's Head Trail, which contains repurposed trash: the trash that was originally in the park was collected and turned into art, artfully arranged and painted, and embellished by pithy messages. One that stuck in my mind says: "Hate corrodes the vessel that contains it". The trail is flat and easy and could be walked very quickly, but we will spend some time looking at the exhibits on the Doll's Head Trail. After crossing the boardwalk the trail will lead us over five wooden bridges.