As a resident of Fayette County, it’s been my experience that people in the area sort of generally say “Jumonville” in which I feel most people are referring to the Christian Camp, with the popular hike to The Cross which offers an impressive overlook view.

Jumonville Glen versus Jumonville Christian Camp

Jumonville Christian Camp and Retreat Center offers camps and retreats, and the grounds are open to the public from dawn to dusk, featuring hiking trails, an 18 hole disc golf course, a playground, and more. To learn more check out Exploring Jumonville – A Gem in Fayette County, PA.

It wasn’t until I recently visited Fort Necessity National Battlefield that I realized Jumonville Glen is a separate site from Jumonville Christian Camp and Retreat Center. Jumonville Glen is managed by the National Park Services and is a subunit of Fort Necessity National Battlefield. If you’ve never been to Fort Necessity it’s worth a visit and if you are local and haven’t been since your elementary school field trip like me, it’s definitely worth a revisit.

The History

I’m not equipped to provide the history here. You’ll have to visit the area yourself and soak up all the history. There’s a great video at the Visitor Center at Fort Necessity.

But in my basic understanding, this was the site of a skirmish where the British, led by a 22-year-old George Washington with Iriquois scouts ambushed the French, led by Ensign de Coulon Jumonville (hence the name) in Washington’s first military encounter.

Also called the “Jumonville Affair,” there’s some controversy over who shot first. 10 French soldiers were killed and 21 were captured. I think my favorite part of this story is that one French soldier escaped and ran barefoot to Fort Duquense (now the present-day Point State Park in Pittsburgh). Check out how we explored the Point during a Pittsburgh Family Bike Ride. The French later retaliated with an attack on Fort Necessity led by Jumonville’s brother.

On May 28, 1754 the shots fired here were the first shots fired in the French and Indian War.

Planning Your Visit

There are two ways you can go about it. The first is the traditional entrance from the area managed by the National Park Service.

Directions: From Route 40, turn onto Jumonville road for about 2.5 miles. Turn right at the sign for Jumonville Glen. There are gates that are closed in the warmer months. I don’t know the exact dates. You can contact the Visitor Center at Fort Necessity if needed.

There is a parking lot with a restroom near the parking area.

A half mile hiking loop begins from the parking lot. The first part (approximately 0.10 miles) is paved to an overlook.

Then, the trail turns into a rocky hiking trail and descends into the rock formations where the French were camped at the time of the skirmish.

Read all about the history as you explore the area.

After the rock formations, the hike loops back up to the parking lot.

Something I found very interesting that I had no idea about it is that Jumonville Glen is a stop on Washington’s Trail, a driving route through western Pennsylvania, commemorating young George Washington’s first military and diplomatic venture in the Fall and Winter 1753 – 1754.

Washington’s Trail Brochure and MapDownload

Hike From Jumonville Camp

The other way you can visit Jumonville Glen is from the hiking trails from Jumonville Christian Camp and Retreat Center.

From Route 40, continue on Jumonville Road to the next right turn. Turn right on Old Braddock Road. You can park along Old Braddock Road right near the Kingwood Trail Head. There are no public restrooms at Jumonville Camp.

The route we took is about 0.6 miles from the trailhead to Jumonville Glen.

“P” marks parking and the route we hiked is in pink.

Begin the hike at the Kingwood Area Trail arch. Head down a bit and then follow the trail under the Half King Trail Arch.

Follow the yellow trail markers. When you come to a “T” intersection in the trail, make a right. You’ll come across a sign from the National Park Service.

Follow the trail right to the rocks, and you arrive at the site of the skirmish. There is a geocache in the area that we didn’t get a chance to find. Next time!

From here, you have some options. You can do an out and back hike. Or, if you have the time, I recommend looping back toward Green Cathedral. It’s a beautiful spot to visit. We found a geocache at Green Cathedral.

Refer to the hiking map for more information.

Jumonville-Hiking-MapDownload

Here is breakdown of our from Jumonville Christian Camp to Jumonville Glen for reference.

I hope you check out Jumonville Glen. Leave a comment or tag me on Instagram (@adventureswkelly). I want to hear about or see your adventures.

Nearby Attractions

While in the area, you certainly want to check out the other sites managed by the National Park Service which include Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Mount Washington Tavern, and Braddock’s Grave.

Other nearby sites: