The Town of Old Lyme completed its purchase of 312 acres from David McCulloch/the Jean A. McCulloch Farm LLC in 2019, and the McCulloch Family Open Space opened to the public on National Trails Day, June 6, 2020.

The beautiful property features three trails:

"Tree in the Gap" trail: This trail is accessed from Whippoorwill Road. A parking lot is available at the trail head, almost 3 miles from Route 1 or 3.5 miles from Mile Creek Road. Be cautious entering and exiting the parking area onto the roadway. The "Tree in the Gap" trail connects to the blue trail (PDF) within the Old Lyme Land Trust Lay-Allen Preserve, allowing for a vigorous longer hike with some steep sections. Alternatively, visitors can use this trail for a short, easy walk to Rook's Meadow and Jimmy's Pond, described below.

Red trail: A second trail begins from Flat Rock Hill Road. Parking is permitted on the road cul-de-sac. Please respect homeowners' property as the trail briefly runs alongside a private driveway.

Yellow trail: Parking is not available at this trail head, which is accessible only by pedestrian and bicycle access. Vehicle parking on the pentway from Whippoorwill Road to the trailhead is prohibited. Hikers may access the yellow trail from the red trail, via either Flat Rock Hill Road or the Lay-Allen Preserve.