Thousands of swans and geese floating and flying during the annual snow goose migration stopover at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area
Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area: A Haven for Hunters, Hikers, and Birdwatchers
-
Asia Tabb
Thousands of swans and geese floating and flying during the annual snow goose migration stopover at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area
AIRED; August 25, 2025
Listen to the podcast to hear the full conversation.
The Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area isn’t your typical state game land. Spanning about 6,000 acres along the Lancaster-Lebanon County border, it combines hunting, hiking, boating, and wildlife viewing with a rich conservation history.
“We’re technically state game lands, but we’re a little unique from other state gamelands in Pennsylvania,” said Brant Portner, Environmental Education Specialist at Middle Creek. “We have hunting opportunities like other game lands, but we also have a visitor center with public programs and recreational opportunities. We kind of stand out in the state of Pennsylvania.”
Hunters can take advantage of special lottery hunts for ducks, geese, and deer, while outdoor enthusiasts enjoy hiking trails, non-motorized boating, and the Horseshoe Trail, which passes through the property and connects to the Appalachian Trail. “If you like outdoor activities, Middle Creek is the place for you,” Portner said.
Middle Creek is perhaps best known for the spectacular snow geese migration. Each February and March, as many as 150,000 snow geese descend on the lake, drawing crowds from across the region. “It looks like a big patch of ice with snow on it—just thousands and thousands of birds,” Portner explained. “It’s a mass migration experience you might see on a documentary, but it’s happening right here in Pennsylvania.”
The area also provides habitat for tundra swans, bald eagles, and the occasional rare visitor. Portner recalled that Middle Creek hosted the state’s first-ever record of a limpkin, a tropical bird far from its normal range. “You just get weird things from time to time here, where suddenly 20 people are lined up on the side of the road because a rare bird was spotted,” he said.
Middle Creek’s story goes back decades. Created in the 1960s through state conservation funding, the wetlands and lake were built to restore habitat for waterfowl. The visitor center, which just celebrated its 50th anniversary, continues to educate thousands of visitors each year about Pennsylvania’s natural heritage.
“It’s a long history of humans using this area all the way up to today, with that recreation, hunting, and environmental education,” Portner said.