Recreation

“Head for the Hills” to discover and enjoy abundant recreation opportunities in the Cambria County region. From cycling and paddle sports to spectator sports and competitions, you can find your fun in our scenic hills and valleys, fields, forests and arenas.

Nestled in the beautiful Alleghenies, our region is an emerging destination for all things outdoors. Our woodlands, railroads and waterways that once served as resources to fuel our industries now fuel the area’s transformation to a recreation-based destination.

The Stonycreek River has 15 Class III-IV rapids within four miles in the canyon just outside of Johnstown, then it settles down for easier paddling all the way through the center of the city, to the Conemaugh River and through the Conemaugh Gap, westward. Tubing is popular on the gentle sections of the “Stony,” while whitewater enthusiasts test their skills in the canyon. For pristine flatwater paddling and wildlife viewing, head to nearby reservoirs like Hinkston Run, Wilmore Dam, Glendale Lake, or the Quemahoning. Our reservoirs, rivers and streams also draw anglers looking for the next big catch, from trout to bass, crappie pike, and more.

National Recreation Trails – Path of the Flood Trail, Jim Mayer Trail, Ghost Town Trail – are perfect for biking and hiking and often host competitive events like the Ghost Town Trail Challenge and Path of the Flood Races.

The Lorain-Stonycreek Trails offer over 10 miles of blazed trails for every experience level from beginner to expert. Along with hiking, among the activities offering are camping and geocaching and some excellent opportunities for watching wildlife. The park is the home of the LorainStonycreek Beer, Wine & Spirits Festival, the Halloween Bash, Summerfest on the Trails and the Home Grown Music Festival.

The 277-acre Stackhouse Park was gifted to the City of Johnstown in 1931 by the descendants of Powell Stackhouse, a local Civil War veteran. A wonderful resource, Stackhouse Park offers hiking on over 7 miles of trails, camping and pavilions for rent. It is the home of Shakespeare in the Park, Art in the Park, and often hosts a variety of activities like yoga, guided trail walks, Storytime at Stackhouse, races, lectures, photography workshops, film screenings and musical performances.

The 48-mile Ghost Town Trail is just a few miles from becoming the nation’s first looping rail-trail and was named Pennsylvania’s 2020 Trail of the Year. The National 911 Memorial Trail connecting Washington, DC, the Flight 93 National Memorial and New York City, is planned to route through Johnstown.

Area mountain bike trails offer some of the most challenging singletrack in the east and the Inclined Plane trails switchback down the steep mountainside providing a thrilling downhill biking experience. Highland Regional Park in suburban Johnstown boasts 13 miles of trails ranging from beginner to expert.

Thousands of acres of game lands are open to hunters and a former strip mine area is now Rock Run, one of the premier ATV parks in the eastern United States with 140 miles of trails.

For motorcyclists, the area offers some of the most scenic riding in the northeast, with tens of thousands gathering every June for Thunder in the Valley, the longest running bike rally in Pennsylvania.

Abundant snowfall and colder temperatures usher in popular winter activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, ice fishing, snowmobiling and even snow biking.

In the summer, sports fans can watch the best athletes compete in national and regional tournaments and events. June welcomes the Sunnehanna Amateur, one of the finest amateur golf tournaments in the country. AAABA, one of the nation’s best amateur baseball tournaments, is played here every August. The Johnstown Mill Rats baseball team is in action throughout the summer at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in downtown Johnstown.

Johnstown’s rich hockey heritage includes a stint on the big screen as the home of the Charlestown Chiefs in the iconic movie Slap Shot, starring Paul Newman. In 2015, Johnstown became the FIRST Kraft Hockeyville USA. Today, hockey fans root for the Johnstown Tomahawks who take the ice between March and September.

Collegiate sports abound as NCAA Division I Saint Francis University, Division II University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, and Division II Mount Aloysius College all call Cambria County home.

Preserving and promoting our rich history, heritage and culture has helped transform our community into a destination for visitors and a lively community for those who call Cambria County home.

Numerous historic attractions and points of interest tell the stories of how the steelmaking, coal mining and railroading innovations transformed America into an industrial power and fueled our country’s westward expansion. They also showcase the tenacity of our citizens who were determined to rebuild in the aftermath of tragedy and hardship.

In the Cambria region you can experience all that you enjoy set against the scenic backdrop of our hills and valleys, away from the crowds.

We’re eager to welcome new friends to our community – for a few days or for a lifetime!

You can’t experience everything our region has to offer in just one day, so make sure to extend your stay! We have wonderful accommodation options near everything you want to see and do.