JOHNSTOWN FLOOD NATIONAL MEMORIAL
SELF-GUIDED TOUR STOP MAP

For those of you who are unable to work a Ranger Guided Tour of Johnstown Flood National Memorial into your schedule, or who visit the park when the tours are not being held, a self-guided tour of the park is nearly as good provided you first spend time at the Visitor Center watching the park film and reading the information in the museum. On your own you cannot ask any questions, so you need to know the general history of the flood before setting out to explore the park.

The main difference between a self-guided tour and a Ranger-guided tour is that on your own you won’t be able to get inside the clubhouse of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. It’s not the end of the world since the interior is not renovated or furnished according to the time period, but it’s still neat to step inside a building where the likes of Andrew Carnegie, Andrew Melon, and Henry Frick used to hang out. Other than that, the information the Rangers impart is pretty much the same as what you can pick up at the museum. With this said, do not dismiss the Ranger tour, for being able to ask questions is invaluable. A Ranger-guided tour should still be your first choice, but as mentioned, it’s not always possible.

For those of you on your own, here is a suggested order for visiting the three historical sites at Johnstown Flood National Memorial. You need a vehicle to see everything, as the park attractions are spread out over a large area. Plan to spend around three hours for the tour, which includes an hour at the Visitor Center and Museum and time to hike the South Fork Dam Trail, plus stops at the dam ruins and the St. Michael historic district. Add more time if you want to hike the park’s other trails, the Carriage Road Nature Trail and the Arbor Trail, and drive to Johnstown to see the sites there (non-National Park sites).

1. NORTH ABUTMENT OF THE SOUTH FORK DAM
2. ST. MICHAEL HISTORIC DISTRICT
3. SOUTH ABUTMENT OF THE SOUTH FORK DAM

For more information on the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, its clubhouse and cottages, and the South Fork Dam, read the Johnstown Flood History web page here on National Park Planner.

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