Sullivan County - Lycoming County - Endless Mountains

Sullivan County covers an area of 478 square miles, or 305,920 acres. The state owns one third of this acreage as State Forest Lands and State Game Lands. The Pennsylvania Fish Commission owns a 1500 acre tract which includes Hunters Lake in Shrewsbury Township.

Laporte is the county seat, population 290(2000), at an elevation of 2060 feet above sea level. Located at Laporte is the Sullivan County High School, the Sullivan County Medical Center. The Highlands Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, the Sullivan County Historical Museum, The Baldwin House and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation County maintenance garage.

Sullivan County is in Northeastern Pennsylvania, one of the counties of the Endless Mountains. It is bounded on the north by Bradford Co.; on the east by Wyoming Co.; on the south by Luzerne Co.; and on the west by Lycoming Co.

Sullivan County is served by U.S. routes 87 and 220, 154.487 and 42. Nearest rail head, Monroeton; airports within 50 miles; Williamsport; Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton; Elmira, Towanda general service); bus service - Sturtevant Bus Line at New Albany, Overland buses at Towanda, and Williamsport.

Yearly precipitation (rain) 35 inches; yearly snowfall can range between 40 and 140 inches, yearly normal is 41 inches; July temperature average 71.3 degrees F; January temperature average 27.4 degrees F: annual average 49 degrees F; duration of freeze-free periods; mid-June to mid-September, 90 days.

Worlds End can be reached via PA Route 154 from Laporte. Facilities at Worlds End include a swimming area and picnic area; family cabins; class A campgrounds; tent camping; hiking, fishing. hunting. cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. A number of winterized cabins are available. Call the park office for details (717) 924-3287. The mailing address is Worlds End State Park, P.O. Box 62. Forksville, PA 18616.

Ricketts Glen State Park has 13,050 acres in Sullivan, Wyoming and Luzerne Counties. The park is 30 miles North of Bloomsburg on Route 487. A section of the road from Red Rock to Lake Jean is very steep. an 18% grade. Facilities include swimming. boating, picnicking, hiking, camping, all-weather cabins, ice fishing and hunting nearby. For information call (717) 477-5675 or write Ricketts Glen State Park, RR1 Box 251, Benton, PA 17814.

There is one school district in Sullivan County with the high school and an elementary school in Laporte, and another elementary school in Mildred. The District is 100% rural.
The 2002 - 2003 enrollment is approximately 843 students. The professional staff including administration is 75.
The 2002 - 2003 budget is $9,657,660. Fifty percent or more of the students go on to higher education or into military service.
The combined high school and elementary libraries contain over 40,000 volumes and have regional and statewide access to large facilities. Computers are in general use and distance learning is underway.

Eagles Mere Lake under a Blanket of snow.

The school district office is in Dushore (570) 928 - 8194; the email address is distoff@epix.net. All schools are on the internet.

A public Library serving the county is located on Center Street, Dushore. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Townships: Cherry, 4 mills; Colley, 5 mills; Davidson, 3.5 mills; Elkland, 3 mills: Forks, 2.5 mills; Fox. 2 mills: Hillsgrove, 1.25 mills; Laporte, 2.5 mill: Shrewsbury, 2.6 mills.

Boroughs: Dushore, 9 mills: Eagles Mere, 4.2 mills; Forksville, 6 mills; Laporte, 8.5 mills.

All districts have a 2% discount if tax is paid during the first two months after billing. Penalty after four months is 10%.

The Loyalsock Trail, LT. is a footpath which begins on PA Route 87, 9.0 miles north of the Route 87 - Montoursville Exit from Interstate 180 (U.S. Route 220) and ends on U.S. Route 220 about 2.6 miles north of Laporte. The LT follows mountain ridges and streams through the Loyalsock watershed as it travels through woods on footpaths, old logging roads. and abandoned railroad grades. It passes through parts of the Tiadaghton and Wyoming State Forests for most of its 59.28 miles. The extremes of elevation are 665 - 2140'.

The LT was laid out in the early 1950's by an Explorer Scout Post from Williamsport, led by Howard Ulman, Jr. The Alpine Club of Williamsport was organized in 1953 to maintain the original 30.7 miles of trail. Both ends of the trail were extended to their present locations between 1960-1962 and several relocations have been made.

This wilderness footpath has vistas and waterfalls as it traverses the Allegheny High Plateau. Since Loyalsock Creek and its tributaries have dissected this area of the plateau, hikers will encounter ascents and descents while hiking the trail. History has also left its mark along the trail. The LT follows part of the Towanda Indian Path and the Wallis and Genesee Roads. passes by the Highland Lake Resort area that Wildlife is abundant Throughout Sullivan County, PA

Wildlife is abundant Throughout Sullivan County, PA

had three hotels and casinos, uses parts of the Susquehanna & Eagles Mere and Williamsport & North Branch Railroads as well as other rail grades used for hauling logs and lumber, crosses over old coal mining areas, traverses through Worlds End State Park, and goes by the site of former CCC Camp 95.

The Alpine Club of Williamsport invites everyone to hike and enjoy the beauty of nature. A trail guide and maps are available for a fee by writing to: Alpine Club of Williamsport, P.O. box 501. Williamsport, PA 17703. Individuals may also purchase an LT patch after hiking ten miles of the trail. Help with keeping the trail litter free would be greatly appreciated.

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