History & heritage · Pennsylvania

Flight 93, Johnstown and Ligonier day trip

Flight 93, Johnstown and Ligonier

A long, reflective Laurel Highlands day from Pittsburgh: the Flight 93 National Memorial in the morning, the remains of the South Fork Dam and the story of the 1889 Johnstown Flood after lunch, a ride on the Johnstown Inclined Plane, then dinner on the Diamond in Ligonier before the drive home.

Time: 12–13 hour day
Driving: About 4½–5 hours of driving in total
Best time: May to October; Friday to Sunday
Updated: October 15, 2026 at 6:17 PM Pacific

$4 USD

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The long, pale concrete wall of the Flight 93 National Memorial visitor center along a hilltop, above a broad meadow of grasses and yellow wildflowers under a clear sky — Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0. September 2016 photograph; resized and displayed with crop.

Suggested times, not bookings

Your day at a glance

7:45 amLeave Pittsburgh
9:15 amFlight 93 Visitor Center
10:30 amMemorial Plaza and Wall of Names
11:40 amTower of Voices
12:45 pmSouth Fork Dam, south side
1:55 pmJohnstown Flood visitor center
4:00 pmJohnstown Inclined Plane
6:00 pmLigonier and the Diamond
7:45 pmDrive back to Pittsburgh

Highlights

Worth the trip

The Memorial Plaza and Wall of Names at the Flight 93 National Memorial
Standing in the breach of the South Fork Dam, where the 1889 flood began
The Johnstown Inclined Plane, back in service since September 2026

What’s in the guide

Detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links and weather alternatives. Read it online any time, or keep it offline in the Greg’s Guides app for iPhone and iPad. See an example guide →

Plan for the conditions

Expected seasonal weather

From May to October the Laurel Highlands are usually mild to warm. The Park Service describes May at the Flight 93 memorial as reliably in the 60s and 70s, and July and August as humid with highs in the high 80s or 90s; summer afternoons often bring thunderstorms, and the memorial's open fields give little shade or shelter. September brings warm days and cool nights, and early to mid October brings fall color and crisp air, with the first snow at the memorial possible by mid-October. It is often windy on the ridge at any time of year, so it can feel much colder there than in Johnstown or Ligonier. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS forecast.

Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.

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