About 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."
Plan a Visit
Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.
Weather & Conditions
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.
NPS Reference Location
Park state / territory membership: Pennsylvania. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.
Operating Hours
Hours of Operations The Visitor Center is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The Visitor Center is open Fridays through Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Park grounds and trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset. The Visitor Center is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. "All Park Hours" reflects the hours of operation for the Visitor Center.
Activities
Getting There
Take US Route 219 to the St Michael/Sidman exit. At the end of the exit ramp head East on PA 869 (there is a park sign at the end of the exit ramp). Travel approximately 1.5 miles on PA 869 watching for a left turn onto Lake Road at the sign for Johnstown Flood National Memorial. Follow Lake Road 1.5 miles until the visitor center appears on your right. Please park safely in the designated parking lot and not block any emergency access roads.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.
Topics & Themes
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.
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…
Attend a Tales of the Great Flood Presentation
Tales of the Great Flood cover a wide variety of topics relating to the Johnstown Flood.
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…
May 31 Anniversary
Sunday, May 31, 2026, is the 137th anniversary of the Johnstown Flood of May 31, 1889.
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.…
More Things to Do
Additional activities and experiences from the National Park Service.
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…
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,…
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…
Visit the remains of the South Fork Dam
Visitors can access the North and South Abutments on the remains of the South Fork Dam.
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…
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…
Have lunch at the picnic area
Relax in the picnic area, located off of South Abutment Road.
Lake View Visitor Center bookstore
The bookstore at Johnstown Flood National Memorial is operated by America's National Parks. The bookstore is on the upper level of the…
Drive past the Club House and Cottages
The Club House and nine cottages that were once owned by the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club are still standing in…
Visitor Centers
Johnstown Flood National Memorial Visitor Center
The Visitor Center has two floors of displays that explain the history of the South Fork Dam, the South Fork Fishing & Hunting Club, and…
Nearby National Park Service Sites
These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.
Nearby Cities for Trip Planning
These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.
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