Cambria County: Trails, Nature and Industrial Heritage

Cambria County offers unusual combinations of landscapes, industrial heritage and a turbulent history. Those planning a trip with active days and cultural discoveries will find various options here when choosing a suitable vacation rental or holiday home: long routes through wooded valleys, historic railroad and industrial sites, museums in Johnstown, and nature parks offering opportunities for hiking, boating or wildlife watching.

Trails Through Landscapes and Industrial History

The Ghost Town Trail is a 54-mile rail trail with a continuous 32-mile loop. Its route runs through the Blacklick Creek valley, past mountain streams, rhododendron stands, numerous wildflower species and cool wooded areas. At the same time, the trail recalls the region’s industrial past: iron furnaces, old coal-loading bunkers, coal waste piles and other remnants are located along the trail.

The Path of the Flood Trail offers another perspective on the region’s history. It connects the damaged South Fork Dam with the Stone Bridge in Johnstown. Numerous trail markers explain the history of the Johnstown Flood in the Little Conemaugh River valley. The Path of the Flood is also a 14-mile bicycle ride through the former lakebed and to the remains of the breached dam. At the Johnstown Flood National Memorial in South Fork, visitors can view the ruins of the South Fork Dam. The Johnstown Flood Museum presents the history of the 1889 flood and Johnstown’s recovery afterward.

Nature Parks and Different Ways to Travel

Prince Gallitzin State Park is located in northern Cambria County and offers opportunities for fishing, boating, camping, hiking and wildlife watching. Laurel Ridge State Park extends across Cambria, Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland Counties. Its defining feature is the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, which offers opportunities for hiking and backpacking in a semi-wild setting.

The Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site also combines natural and cultural interests. It is located in Cambria and Blair Counties at the junction of the Appalachian Plateaus and Ridge and Valley provinces in southwestern Pennsylvania. The Allegheny Portage Railroad was the first railroad across the Allegheny Mountains and opened a direct connection between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in 1834. The historic site includes more than 15 miles of trails in various sections of the park. Those seeking motorized experiences will also find Rock Run ATV Park in the rural area of northern Cambria County and southern Clearfield County, with more than 140 miles of trails for various motorized vehicles.

Johnstown as a Cultural Center

In Johnstown, the 3.1-mile Jim Mayer Riverswalk Trail complements the historic attractions with an urban walking trail along the eastern edge of the city. It follows the Stonycreek River from Hornerstown to the Riverside residential community. Buttermilk Falls are 50 feet high and located about 0.7 miles from the Riverside trail access point.

The Heritage Discovery Center offers several distinct perspectives. America: Through Immigrant Eyes is located on the first floor and uses interactive media to convey the sights and sounds of immigrants’ everyday lives. The three-story Iron & Steel Gallery focuses on industrial history; the Forging a Nation: Johnstown Iron & Steel! exhibition traces the history of the steel industry in Johnstown from the 1700s to the present day. The Johnstown Children's Museum is located on the third floor. Heritage Johnstown regularly opens the Ethnic Social Club to the public on the last Friday of each month; music begins at 5:30 p.m.

Choose Accommodation Based on Your Preferred Travel Pace

When searching for a vacation rental in Cambria County, it is worth deciding first what you want to focus on. Nature and trail experiences favor planning around the state parks and trails, while Johnstown—with its museum, flood history, Riverswalk and railroad history—offers a more culturally oriented stay. The Johnstown Inclined Plane was built after the 1889 flood to support evacuation in the event of another flood and ascends Yoder Hill on a 70.9 percent incline. Vale Wood Farms provides a culinary addition: the farm produces ice cream and dairy products on site using milk from its own cows and offers customizable ice cream tastings.

For further orientation within the region, you can also explore the location pages for Ebensburg, Johnstown, South Fork, Loretto, Hastings, Spring Hill, Carrolltown, Cresson and Northern Cambria.

For the higher-level travel overview: Pennsylvania.