Laurel Highlands Historical Village

Be Proud of Who You Are - Be Proud of Your Heritage

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Path of the Flood Historic Races

May 27, 2017 ▪ 8 a.m. Path of the Flood Historic Races South Fork, PA

A Flood of Runners is returning to Johnstown, PA for the 4th year of the Path of the Flood Historic Races!

Experience the Path of the Johnstown 1889 Flood in its entirety with the half marathon or in small droplets through the 5K or 12K races.

See the resiliency of the communities of South Fork, Mineral Point, the boroughs and the City of Johnstown.

Run through Staple Bend Tunnel, the first railroad tunnel in the United States. Finish at the Old Stone Bridge, which still stands after stopping the majority of the flood’s energy.

Our hybrid road/rail trail course beckons you to be a part of history.

All proceeds from the 2017 Path of The Flood Historic Races will benefit the Johnstown Area Heritage Association and the Cambria County Conservation & Recreation Authority Friends of the Trails program, which exists to enhance the Cambria County trails.

Visit the official website of the Races for more details.

Source: Trail Events – Cambria County Conservation & Recreation Authority

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The Ghost Town Trail Cambria County

Natural beauty, fascinating historical features, and length: The Ghost Town Trail is a 36-mile long ‘rails to trails’ trail that blends these qualities and throws in a bit of challenge for flavor.

The trail includes a 32-mile portion that stretches from Blairsville, PA to Ebensburg, PA, as well as a 4-mile spur called the Rexis Branch that stretches from the Eliza Furnace to Red Mill Rd. in Vintondale, PA.

Named for the long-gone coal-mining communities that once dotted its right-of-way, the GTT flows past two massive iron furnaces, old coal-loading tipples, boney (coal-refuse) piles and other traces of industrial history.

The Blacklick Creek valley in which it is situated is gorgeous, with mountain streams, stands of rhododendron, dozens of wildflower species and cool woodlands

As it climbs the western slope of the Allegheny Front, the Ghost Town Trail totals 46 miles in length. There is a: 32-mile main stem from Blacklick to Ebensburg.4-mile Rexis Branch from Vintondale to U.S. 422.8-mile C&I Branch from U.S. 422 to Expedit Road.2-mile C&I Branch from Vic Miller Road to Snake Road. With the exception of the C&I Branch, which is unimproved and still under development, the GTT has a crushed limestone surface. At Vintondale, the trail divides and follows two branches of Blacklick Creek

Source: The Ghost Town Trail – Cambria County Conservation & Recreation Authority

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Path of the 1989 Johnstown Flood Trail

This historical trail enables the user to start just below the breached South Fork Dam and follow the same watercourse that floodwaters took in 1889, when they surged into Johnstown.

The Path of the Flood Trail provides numerous trail-side markers that tell the story and enable users to visualize the scene within the  Little Conemaugh River valley, which remains largely unchanged more than 120 years later.  Additionally, this trail is naturally beautiful and challenging with some steeper grades and varying trail surfaces.Photo by Patti Jones.

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The Jim Mayer Riverswalk Trail

Named for a local conservationist, the Jim Mayer Riverswalk Trail is a delightful, 3.1-mile (5k) urban trail on the east end of the City of Johnstown.

Following the Stonycreek River, the trail begins in Riverside on Michigan Ave. and ends in Hornerstown on Messenger St., near Sandyvale Memorial Gardens & Conservancy.

This trail offers beautiful views of the river, abundant bird-life and wildflowers, picturesque Buttermilk Falls and serenity within an urban setting.

The Jim Mayer Riverswalk Trail is part of a growing urban trail system in Johnstown that currently follows the Stonycreek River from Central Avenue behind an industrial complex to the residential community of Riverside. One of its best features is the 50-foot Buttermilk Falls, located about mid-trail. The Riverswalk is nearly level, and its surface is groomed and easily ridden or walked.

Source: The Jim Mayer Riverswalk Trail – Cambria County Conservation & Recreation Authority