Lake Claire Community Land Trust

Isabelle Taft (Atlas Obscura User)

Big Lou is not camera shy. Isabelle Taft (Atlas Obscura User)

Isabelle Taft (Atlas Obscura User)

Collector of Experiences (Atlas Obscura User)

Ladybug Rocks ski queen (Atlas Obscura User)

The vibrant community gardens jessemiers (Atlas Obscura User)

Isabelle Taft (Atlas Obscura User)

The bathroom hut. Isabelle Taft (Atlas Obscura User)

Nestled along one of the busiest streets in Atlanta there is an improbable oasis of natural attractions and curiosities. A group of Lake Claire neighbors bought the 1.5-acre green space in 1986 with the goal of creating a community, and the one they’ve formed embraces peace, love, composting, drum circles, and an emu named Big Lou.

Regardless of how much 1960s nostalgia you may have, the Lake Claire Community Land Trust is well worth a visit. The community includes a children’s play area, a fire pit, and an amphitheater that hosts twice-monthly drum circles. A forested trail leads to the home of Big Lou, who can be seen gazing out over the still, green waters of the “Peace Pond.”

Above the drum circle, a pair of large Adirondack chairs is perched at the highest point in the area, offering views of the downtown skyline and DeKalb Avenue’s traffic just below. If they know what to look for, drivers can spot the chairs as they pass by.

Know Before You Go

From the better-known Candler Park or Little Five Points, head east on McLendon Avenue and make a right on Arizona Avenue. The Land Trust is at the end of Arizona Avenue, accessed through a mulched path.