10 Johnstown Experiences You Won’t Want to Miss in 2026
Hiking/Biking the Completed Ghost Town Trail Loop
2026 will see the completion of the Ghost Town Trail loop, making it the second continuous looping rail trail in the country and the only continuous looping rail trail east of Oregon! Experience 51 miles of rail-trail as you take in the beautiful Pennsylvania scenery and the historic remnants of the area’s industrial history!
Riding the Johnstown Inclined Plane
The world’s steepest vehicular inclined plane is set to reopen this year! One of Johnstown’s most visually impressive and historically significant attractions was undergoing renovations, but it is set to reopen in 2026, and we can’t wait for everyone to line up for a ride this year!
Paddling the Rapids of the Stonycreek River
Various Locations
What better way to challenge yourself in 2026 than by kayaking, rafting, or paddleboarding through the longest continuous set of rapids in the Eastern United States? The Johnstown region is home to numerous paddling opportunities for expert paddlers, especially at the Stonycreek Whitewater Park, which offers frequent releases from the Quehamoning Reservoir, for pristine whitewater experiences.
Celebrating 250 Years of America
July 4th, 2026, marks the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America! The Johnstown region will be celebrating this momentous occasion with a variety of events and ceremonies leading up to this extremely important day in our nation’s history. A liberty tree has already been planted in Johnstown’s own Sandyvale Memorial Gardens, along with every other county in Pennsylvania!
Getting White-Knuckles on the Inclined Plane Downhill Mountain Biking Trails
Comprised of a network of several trails of different difficulties, the Inclined Plane Downhill Mountainbiking Trails offer a unique challenge to expert downhill riders who want to push their skills to the absolute limits. Proper gear is required, and it is recommended that bikers walk the trails before taking the plunge!
Visiting the Johnstown Flood Museum
After some flooding closed the museum temporarily in 2025 (ironic, we know!), the Johnstown Flood Museum is once again open to the public. Explore the tragic history of Johnstown’s floods, featuring a wall of debris, flood artifacts, a live diorama of the 1889 flood’s progress into downtown Johnstown, and more!
Doing a Workshop at the Center for Metal Arts
There’s no better way to experience Johnstown’s rich metalworking history than forging something out of red-hot metal yourself! The Center for Metal Arts offers workshops throughout the year that allow you to create items from wall hooks to mythical creatures. The metal arts are alive and well in the Johnstown region!
Running in the Historic Path of the Flood Races
2026 will welcome the Path of the Flood Historic Races for their 12th running. The races offer three distances (5K, 8-miler, 14-miler) with the 14-miler stretching the full length of the actual 1889 floodwater’s path. The race emulates the tremendous pulse and power of the historic floodwaters as they began their flow towards the races’ conclusion at Peoples Natural Gas Park in Johnstown.
Dancing at Johnstown PolkaFest
For 28 years, Johnstown PolkaFest has been bringing the country’s best Polish and Slovenian bands to Johnstown! The festival features fantastic bands, ethnic food vendors, craft vendors, and plenty of dancing! The 28th annual Johnstown PolkaFest will be held May 29th – 31st, 2026, at Peoples Natural Gas Park!
Visiting the Steve Ditko Murals
You may not be familiar with the name Steve Ditko…but you’ve definitely seen one of his comic creations. Ditko, born in Johnstown, was an American comics artist and writer best known as the artist and creator of the Marvel superhero Spider-Man. Two murals pay tribute to Ditko’s work in the Johnstown area, and a portion of the Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center features relics from Ditko’s life as a famous comic book inker!