Johnstown Flood National Memorial
The South Fork Dam failed on Friday, May 31, 1889, and unleashed 20,000,000 tons of water that devastated Johnstown, PA. The flood killed 2,209 people but it brought the nation and the world together to aid the "Johnstown sufferers." The story of the Johnstown Flood reminds us all, "...that we must leave nothing undone for the preservation and protection of our brother men."
About 1.5 hours from Pittsburgh by car.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Johnstown Flood National Memorial | Varies by day ▾
|
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow |
|
| Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving Day Closure | Closed |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day Closure | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day Closure | Closed |
When to go
July draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Johnstown Flood National Memorial Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
The Visitor Center has two floors of displays that explain the history of the South Fork Dam, the South Fork Fishing & Hunting Club, and how and why the 1889 Johnstown Flood occurred.
No campgrounds, no webcams or events in Park Service data. What is here comes from the official page. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the Park Service publishes the data.
Explore
Things to do
- Attend an Evening on the Lake Presentation
Evening on the Lake presentations are on select Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. during the summer months.
Opens on the Park Service site - Path of the Flood Van Tours
Ranger-guided Path of the Flood van tours are a great way to learn about the destructive force of the Johnstown Flood of May 31, 1889.
Opens on the Park Service site - Attend a Tales of the Great Flood Presentation
Tales of the Great Flood cover a wide variety of topics relating to the Johnstown Flood.
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike with a ranger through the ruins of the South Fork Dam
Join a Park Ranger for an interpretive walk that will take you to the bottom of the dam, through the breach and back out on the other side. This program is offered through the summer. The walk can also be done self-guided.
Opens on the Park Service site - May 31 Anniversary
Sunday, May 31, 2026, is the 137th anniversary of the Johnstown Flood of May 31, 1889.
Opens on the Park Service site - Club House and Cottage Row Walking Tours
Club House and Cottage Row Walking Tours are part of our programming for the anniversary of the 1889 Johnstown Flood. Please note the 2026 tours are full!
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Learn about the Johnstown Flood in the Visitor Center
The Visitor Center and has two floors of exhibits and a park film. Visitors will learn about the Johnstown Flood of May 31, 1889.
Opens on the Park Service site - View the park film "Black Friday."
The park film "Black Friday" is 35 minutes in length. It is shown at 15 minutes past the hour (9:15, 10:15, 11:15, 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, 3:15, 4:15). "Black Friday" is rated PG (parental guidance suggested). The film contains captions.
Opens on the Park Service site - The Junior Ranger Program
The Junior Ranger program is available in the Lake View Visitor Center. Ask the Ranger on duty for a booklet. The program booklets are available by age group; 5-7, 8-10, and 11-13. Upon completion of the booklet, participants will earn a Junior…
Opens on the Park Service site - Visit the remains of the South Fork Dam
Visitors can access the North and South Abutments on the remains of the South Fork Dam.
Opens on the Park Service site - Walk Through the Ruins Trail
The Walk Through the Ruins Trail, off of the South Abutment Road near the parking lot, takes walkers to the bottom of the dam, through the breach and back up out of the dam on the other side.
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike the Carriage Road Nature Trail
The Carriage Road Nature Trail follows the carriage road that the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club members would have taken after they crossed the top of the South Fork Dam on their journey from South Fork to the Club House and cottages.
Opens on the Park Service site
News
- Evening on the Lake: Showcasing Clara Barton ↗2026-07-24
Join Johnstown Flood National Memorial for an Evening on the Lake program highlighting Clara Barton. The free presentation will take place on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 7 p.m. in the visitor center auditorium.
- Evening on the Lake: We've Come a Long Way: Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site and Johnstown Flood National Memorial Through the Years, ↗2026-06-16
Join us for an Evening on the Lake program We've Come a Long Way: Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site and Johnstown Flood National Memorial Through the Years on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 7 p.m.
- National Park Service Commemorates 137th Anniversary of the Johnstown Flood ↗2026-05-26
Johnstown Flood National Memorial will commemorate the anniversary of the May 31, 1889, tragedy with special events, including 2,209 luminaries to honor flood victims.
- Alleviating Human Suffering in the Face of Emergencies: The American Red Cross’ Response to the Johnstown Flood and the September 11 Attacks. ↗2026-05-22
The first Evening on the Lake program of the season, Alleviating Human Suffering in the Face of Emergencies: The American Red Cross’ Response to the Johnstown Flood and the September 11 Attacks is Tuesday, May 26, 2026…
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
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Guidebooks for the Mid-Atlantic
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBelted Kingfisher 1× · American Black Bear 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 112 birds, 28 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican kestrel · Barred owl · Broad-winged hawk · Great horned owl · Red-shouldered hawk · Red-tailed hawk · Turkey vulture · osprey
Waterfowl & wadersCanada goose · Wood duck · great blue heron
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican woodcock · Killdeer
Gamebirds & dovesMourning dove · Rock dove · Ruffed grouse · Wild turkey
WoodpeckersDowny woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern flicker · Pileated woodpecker · Red-bellied woodpecker
Hummingbirds & swiftsChimney swift · Ruby-throated hummingbird
Also on the checklistAlder flycatcher · American crow · American goldfinch · American redstart · American robin · American tree sparrow · Baltimore oriole · Barn swallow · Bay-breasted warbler · Belted kingfisher · Black-and-white warbler · Black-capped chickadee · Black-throated Blue Warbler · Black-throated Green Warbler · Blackburnian Warbler · Blackpoll Warbler · Blue jay · Blue-gray gnatcatcher · Blue-headed vireo · Blue-winged Warbler · Bobolink · Brown creeper · Brown thrasher · Brown-headed cowbird · Canada warbler · Cape May warbler · Carolina wren · Cedar waxwing · Chestnut-sided Warbler · Chipping sparrow · Common grackle · Common raven · Common yellowthroat · Dark-eyed junco · Eastern bluebird · Eastern kingbird · Eastern meadowlark · Eastern phoebe · Eastern towhee · Eastern wood-pewee · European starling · Field sparrow · Golden-crowned kinglet · Golden-winged warbler · Grasshopper sparrow · Gray catbird · Great crested flycatcher · Henslow's sparrow · Hooded Warbler · House finch · House sparrow · House wren · Indigo bunting · Magnolia Warbler · Mallard · Mangrove Warbler · Mourning warbler · Myrtle Warbler · Nashville warbler · Northern cardinal · Northern parula · Northern rough-winged swallow · Northern shrike · Ovenbird · Purple finch · Red-breasted nuthatch · Red-eyed vireo · Red-winged blackbird · Rose-breasted grosbeak · Savannah sparrow · Scarlet tanager · Snow bunting · Song sparrow · Summer tanager · Swamp sparrow · Tennessee warbler · Tree swallow · Tufted titmouse · Vesper sparrow · White-breasted nuthatch · White-eyed vireo · White-throated sparrow · Willow flycatcher · Wilson's warbler · Winter wren · Wood thrush · Yellow-billed cuckoo · Yellow-throated vireo
Small mammalsNorth American Beaver · deer mouse · eastern chipmunk · eastern cottontail · gray squirrel · masked shrew · meadow jumping mouse · meadow vole · northern short-tailed shrew · red squirrel · southern bog lemming · southern flying squirrel · southern red-backed vole · white-footed mouse
Predatorscommon raccoon · long-tailed weasel · mink · red fox · striped skunk
Hoofed mammalswhite-tailed deer
BatsNorth American Hoary Bat · big brown bat · little brown myotis · northern long-eared bat · red bat · tricolored bat
Also on the checklistVirginia oppossum · woodchuck
Activities
Activity guides for this park Hiking in the national parks
Weather & climate
Winters can be cold and severe. Spring can be seasonable and wet. Summer can be hot with potentials for thunderstorms. Fall can be seasonal, with cold temperatures into October and November.
Questions people ask
Does Johnstown Flood charge an entrance fee?
No. Johnstown Flood is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Johnstown Flood?
Standard hours are 9:00AM - 5:00PM on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, and it is closed on Wednesday and Thursday. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Johnstown Flood?
74,977 recreation visits in 2025, number 241 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Johnstown Flood?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the weather like at Johnstown Flood?
Winters can be cold and severe. Spring can be seasonable and wet.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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