{"id":"nps-alpo","slug":"allegheny-portage-railroad-national-historic-site","name":"Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site","designation":"National Historic Site","category":"historic-site","categoryLabel":"Historic Site and Historical Park","agency":{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov"},"managedBy":[{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov","unitCode":"ALPO","designation":"National Historic Site","sourceId":"nps-alpo"}],"states":["PA"],"stateNames":["Pennsylvania"],"location":{"lat":40.42977467,"lon":-78.57431622},"bbox":[-78.8593,40.3561,-78.4521,40.4652],"acres":{"value":1131,"kind":"gis-estimate","source":"Computed from the simplified boundary","note":"Approximate. The managing agency publishes official acreage."},"firstProtected":null,"established":null,"administrations":[],"designationHistory":[],"summary":"The first railroad to cross the Allegheny Mountains, the Allegheny Portage Railroad was the final piece of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal. \"The Portage\" opened in 1834, marking the first time that there was one, direct route between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. All things to all people, it served merchants, passengers, slaves in pursuit of freedom, and soldiers from the Mexican War.","summarySource":"National Park Service","guide":{},"trConnection":null,"trConnections":[],"trTypes":[],"links":{"official":"https://www.nps.gov/alpo/index.htm","social":{},"recreationGov":null,"alltrails":null,"alltrailsExplore":"https://www.alltrails.com/explore?b_tl_lat=40.4652&b_tl_lng=-78.8593&b_br_lat=40.3561&b_br_lng=-78.4521","recreationGovSearch":"https://www.recreation.gov/search?q=Allegheny%20Portage%20Railroad%20National%20Historic%20Site","directions":"http://www.nps.gov/alpo/planyourvisit/directions.htm"},"images":[{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/2C12F155-DE91-DD44-9108A954EB6F3DF6.jpg","title":"Engine House 6 Exhibit Shelter and the Lemon House","alt":"Engine House and tavern","caption":"Engine House 6 Exhibit Shelter and the Lemon House at the Summit Level of the Allegheny Portage Railroad.","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/2C2C400A-AA7C-F524-8DE034A012E236DE.jpg","title":"Engine House 6 Exhibit Shelter","alt":"Engine house","caption":"Engine House 6 Exhibit Shelter","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/35902275-1DD8-B71B-0B41A4998139B89F.jpg","title":"Lemon House tavern","alt":"Lemon House","caption":"The Lemon House was a stop for Allegheny Portage Railroad travelers on the summit.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/2C263305-C039-15B5-BFAAAB317A69A0DA.jpg","title":"Summit Level Visitor Center","alt":"Stone building","caption":"The Summit Level Visitor Center contains exhibits, restrooms, park movie and bookstore.","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/2C3E5892-DF3F-B6CF-050662A2DEFDB59C.jpg","title":"Staple Bend Tunnel","alt":"Tunnel","caption":"The Staple Bend Tunnel sat at the top of inclined plane 1, just a few miles from Johnstown. The Staple Bend Tunnel can be accessed by hiking or biking approximately 2 miles from the trailhead","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/2CAD3742-E5F2-AEC4-AF86148FCC922056.jpg","title":"Skew Arch Bridge","alt":"Bridge","caption":"Skew Arch Bridge","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/BE3E1666-FDEA-8508-86A5E30176841B3C.jpeg","title":"The Visitor Center bookstore offers a variety of items for sale.","alt":"Bookstore","caption":"The Visitor Center bookstore offers a variety of items for sale.","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/BE6AB335-0334-3175-76577187C04546C8.jpeg","title":"The theater features a 20 minute park movie.","alt":"Theater","caption":"The theater features a 20 minute park movie.","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/BE77D3FE-FB8B-3D66-D82497CBCD748596.jpeg","title":"Barrels and crates in the Visitor Center show items that traveled on the Main Line Canal.","alt":"Barrel","caption":"Barrels and crates in the Visitor Center show items that traveled on the Main Line Canal.","credit":"NPS","source":"NPS"}],"activities":["Arts and Culture","Cultural Demonstrations","Guided Tours","Self-Guided Tours - Walking","Hiking","Living History","Historic Weapons Demonstration","First Person Interpretation","Junior Ranger Program","Park Film","Museum Exhibits","Shopping","Bookstore and Park Store"],"topics":["Architecture and Building","African American Heritage","Commerce","Trade","Engineering","Industry","Logging and Timber Cutting","Laborer and Worker","Military","Infantry and Militia","Social Movements","Abolition Movement","Transportation","Canals","Tunnels","Trains and Railroads","Wars and Conflicts","Mexican War","Westward Expansion","Mountains","Night Sky","Astronomy","River and Riparian","Trails"],"fees":[],"passes":[],"hours":[{"name":"Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site","description":"The Visitor Center, Engine House No. 6 Exhibit Shelter and the Lemon House are closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Buildings are open Fridays through Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.\n\nPark grounds and trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset, weather permitting.\n\nPark buildings are closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.\n\nTimes listed in \"All Park Hours\" reflect building operations.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"Sunrise to Sunset","monday":"Sunrise to Sunset","thursday":"Sunrise to Sunset","sunday":"Sunrise to Sunset","tuesday":"Sunrise to Sunset","friday":"Sunrise to Sunset","saturday":"Sunrise to Sunset"},"exceptions":[{"name":"Thanksgiving Closure","start":"2026-11-26","end":"2026-11-26","hours":{"thursday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Christmas Day Closure","start":"2026-12-25","end":"2026-12-25","hours":{"friday":"Closed"}},{"name":"New Year's Day Closure","start":"2027-01-01","end":"2027-01-01","hours":{"friday":"Closed"}}]}],"directions":"The park is located just off U.S. Route 22 approximately 12 miles west of Altoona and 10 miles east of Ebensburg. Take the Gallitzin Exit and turn right, following the signs. Visitors prior to 1992 accessed the park in other ways, but the Gallitzin Exit of US Route 22 is the way to access the visitor center and historic area.","weatherInfo":"The park is located in Cambria County, PA, and is at the summit of the Allegheny Mountains. Therefore, the park often takes on winter extremes. If planning on traveling from a long distance, please contact the park beforehand to ensure that the facilities are open. Please consult weather forecasts to ensure conditions are safe to travel in. Spring, summer, and fall are generally uneventful, but severe thunderstorms can occur.","contacts":{"phone":"8148866150","email":"alpo_interpretation@nps.gov"},"visitorCenters":[{"name":"Summit Level Visitor Center","description":"Located immediately off of US Route 22 at the Gallitzin Exit, this is the best place to start your tour. The Visitor Center has a 20-minute orientation movie shown on demand, interactive exhibits, and a bookstore. The passport stamp station is also located in the Visitor Center.","url":"http://www.nps.gov/alpo/planyourvisit/things2do.htm","lat":40.4573503091,"lon":-78.5492999662}],"campgrounds":[],"thingsToDo":[],"nearby":[{"slug":"johnstown-flood-national-memorial","km":19},{"slug":"flight-93-national-memorial","km":49},{"slug":"fort-necessity-national-battlefield","km":110},{"slug":"carlisle-federal-indian-boarding-school-national-monument","km":121},{"slug":"catoctin-mountain-park","km":128},{"slug":"antietam-national-battlefield","km":129}],"hasBoundary":true,"boundarySource":{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division","url":"https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2224545"},"sources":[{"name":"NPS Data API","url":"https://developer.nps.gov/api/v1/parks?parkCode=alpo"},{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division boundaries","url":"https://services1.arcgis.com/fBc8EJBxQRMcHlei/arcgis/rest/services/NPS_Land_Resources_Division_Boundary_and_Tract_Data_Service/FeatureServer/2"}],"editorialStatus":"draft","synced":"2026-11-09T02:12:45.601Z","alerts":[{"source":"NPS","kind":"Park Closure","title":"Staple Bend Tunnel Closure","text":"Due to a rockfall, the interior of the Staple Bend Tunnel is closed. The trail is still open. From the Mineral Point Trailhead, visitors can bypass the tunnel, via a path around the right side of the tunnel structure.","url":null,"updated":"2025-12-27 00:00:00.0","id":"nps-C6F74EF0-48CB-4700-B81E-C2D67F1DE24F"}],"url":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/sites/allegheny-portage-railroad-national-historic-site/","boundaryUrl":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/boundaries/allegheny-portage-railroad-national-historic-site.geojson"}