State Game Land 13 (SGL 13) consists of 49,528.72 acres. Located in the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Northeast Region, covering parts of Sullivan and Columbia Counties it is the largest state game lands in the state.
Public access to SGL 13 is provided from State Route 118 to the south, State Route 220 to the west, and State Route 487 which runs through the eastern side of SGL 13. A variety of other state and township roads run through or along SGL 13. There are three disabled/ATV accessible Roads including Thorndale, Dutchman Swamp roads and Hemlock Run Road totaling approximately 6 miles combined. There are 35 parking areas that average approximately 1/10 acre in size. These lots are dirt or grass and range from fair to good condition. Parking areas are maintained annually by food and cover personnel.
The terrain is characterized by broad to narrow, rounded to relatively flat, elongate uplands separated in most places from the adjacent Glaciated Low Plateau Section by a steepsloped, well defined escarpment. The Loyalsock and the East and West branch of Fishing Creek along with a number of named and unnamed tributaries can be found draining the game lands to the Susquehanna River Watershed.
State Game Land 13 is entirely within Wildlife Management Unit 3B. The principal species hunted on this Game Lands are white-tailed deer, black bear, and eastern wild turkey. Small Game opportunities exist for ruffed grouse, gray squirrel, waterfowl, American woodcock, and snowshoe hare. Furbearers also provide trapping opportunities for the sportsman with beaver, raccoon, mink, muskrat, gray fox, coyote and bobcat available. The remoteness, size and location of this game lands gives sportsmen an opportunity to hunt and trap with having little or no human contact.
Other activities that occur on this game lands including hiking, bird watching, cross-country skiing, mountain biking and horseback riding. There is also approximately 13 miles of snowmobile trail that access other state and private properties creating a large trail system throughout SGL 13.
