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MOUNTAINS AND RANGES
The City of Johnstown is located in a valley in the Allegheny Mountains, to the East of the Laurel Ridge. The four ridges in the area, from West to East, are Chestnut Ridge, Laurel Ridge, Allegheny Mountain and Negro Mountain. These four ridges are known as the Lower Alleghenies and are just East of the Allegheny (or Appalachian) Plateau. The Allegheny Front is located to the East of Johnstown and is the Eastern edge of the Lower Alleghenies. The Allegheny Front is part of the Eastern Continental Divide - to the West of the Divide water flows to the Gulf of Mexico and to the East of the Divide water flows to the Atlantic Ocean. The Allegheny Mountains are in the "Central Section" of the Appalachian Mountain System, the oldest mountains on the planet, having been created starting 480 million years ago. The Appalachians extend from Newfoundland Island in Canada, 1,500 miles southwesterly to central Alabama in the United States. CONEMAUGH GAP
The Conemaugh Gap is an impressive gorge that is the deepest east of the Mississippi River. It is seven miles long and 1,350 feet deep and is cut by the Conemaugh River through the Laurel Ridge Mountain. The gap is flanked on one side by Pennsylvania Route 56 (Hawes Pike) and on the other side by Pennsylvania Route 403 (Cramer Pike.) There is a visitor's area and a natural spring, Heffley Spring, on the Route 56 side. The gorge is particularly scenic during the fall foliage periods. HILLS AND VALLEYS
East Hills - The generic reference to the suburbs in the hills to the east of Johnstown West Hills - The generic reference to the suburbs in the hills to the west of Johnstown Yoder Hill - Also referred to as Westmont Hill, the hillside to the west of downtown Johnstown. At the bottom of the hill is the Stonycreek River and at the top of the hill is Westmont Borough. The Johnstown Inclined Plane traverses Yoder Hill. Cover Hill Benshoff Hill RIVERS
The Little Conemaugh and Stonycreek Rivers merge in downtown Johnstown at what is known as the Point, to form the Conemaugh River. The Conemaugh River flows through the Conemaugh Gap of the Laurel Ridge and merges with the Loyalhanna Creek in Saltsburg PA, on the border of Westmoreland and Indiana Counties, to form the Kiskiminetas River. The Kiskiminetas River merges with the Allegheny River in Freeport PA. The Allegheny River merges with the Monongahela River in Downtown Pittsburgh, to form the Ohio River. The Ohio River joins the Mississippi River in Cairo IL. Tributaries of the Little Conemaugh River Sandy Run empties into South Fork Run Laurel Run empties into North Fork Run South Fork Run and North Fork Run merge to form Little Conemaugh River Peggys Run empties into Little Conemaugh River Clapboard Run empties into Little Conemaugh River Little Saltlick Run empties into Saltlick Run Custer Run empties into Saltlick Run Saltlick Run empties into Little Conemaugh River Tributaries of the Stonycreek River Falls Run empties into Solomons Run in Stonycreek Township Solomons Run empties into Stonycreek River in the Moxham section of Johnstown Sams Run empties into Stonycreek River in Ferndale Borough North Fork and South Fork merge to form Bens Creek Little Mill Creek empties into Mill Creek Mill Creek empties into Bens Creek in Conemaugh Township (Somerset County) Dalton Run empties into Bens Creek in Conemaugh Township (Somerset County) Bens Creek empties into Stonycreek River at corner of Upper Yoder, Stonycreek and Conemaugh Townships (Somerset County) Cheney Run (Southmont Borough) empties into Cherry Run in the Roxbury section of Johnstown Cherry Run (Upper Yoder Township/Roxbury) empties into Stonycreek River in 8th Ward section of Johnstown Tributaries of the Conemaugh River Hinstons/Hinckstons Run empties into Conemaugh River Mill run empties into Conemaugh River Strayer Run empties into Conemaugh River Elk Run empties into Conemaugh River Clark Run empties into Conemaugh River Gray Run empties into St. Clair Run St. Clair Run empties into Conemaugh River Wildcat Run empties into Laurel Run Laurel Run empties into Conemaugh River |