Visiting the Jumonville Cross in Fayette County

Visiting the Jumonville Cross in 2022.

The Jumonville Cross in Fayette County is the second-tallest cross in Pennsylvania!

Jumonville Cross in Fayette County is the tallest cross in Pennsylvania
Jumonville Cross in Fayette County is the second-tallest cross in Pennsylvania.

For more than 70 years it was THE tallest cross in PA, before being eclipsed by The Cross at Hilltop Baptist Church in Indiana County in 2023, a 108 foot-tall structure.

The Cross at Hilltop Baptist Church stands 108 feet tall, making it te tallest cross in Pennsylvania.
The Cross at Hilltop Baptist Church stands 108 feet tall, making it the new “tallest cross in Pennsylvania”.

The 60 foot-tall Jumonville Cross is perched high atop Dunbar’s Knob, which itself stands 2,480 feet above sea level.

Jumonville Cross on Dunbar's Knob in Fayette County Pennsylvania.
Jumonville Cross on Dunbar’s Knob.

Since 1950, this iconic symbol has been attracting the faithful and the curious to Jumonville, just outside Uniontown.

Vintage postcard showing sunset at the Jumonville Cross.
Vintage 1950s postcard showing sunset at the Jumonville Cross.

How to Find the Jumonville Cross

The Jumonville Cross (also known as the Great Cross of Christ) is located on the grounds of the Jumonville Camp and Retreat Center in Fayette County.

Jumonville Camp entrance in 2022.
Jumonville Camp entrance in 2022.

Jumonville is a Christian camp and retreat center with summer programs for all ages, and retreat space for groups year-round. 

Wesley Hall at Jumonville Camp in 2022.
Wesley Hall at Jumonville Camp in 2022.

While the summer camps have been popular since the 1940s, the grounds here have also served as a school for orphans of the Civil War and, later, those of the Spanish-American War. 

Vintage postcard featuring Wesley Hall in the 1950s.
Vintage postcard featuring Wesley Hall, built in 1955.

The paved walkway to the Jumonville Cross is located on the southern side of the Jumonville camp, with parking located along Old Braddock Road.

How to find the Jumonville Cross in Fayette County Pennsylvania.
Map to the Jumonville Cross.

If navigating by GPS, use coordinates 39.88425, -79.64454 to find the parking area and trailhead (pictured below).

Trailhead for the walk to Jumonville Cross in Fayette County PA
Trailhead for the walk to Jumonville Cross.

Please remember you are a guest here and observe the rules of the camp, as indicated on the sign at the trailhead.

Rules for visiting the Jumonville Cross in Fayette County Pennsylvania.
Rules for visiting the Jumonville Cross.

Hiking to the Jumonville Cross

Start your hike to the Jumonville Cross by walking around the gate (meant to keep vehicles out) and up the paved walkway.

The trail leading up to the Jumonville Cross in Fayette County, PA.
The trail leading up to the Jumonville Cross in Fayette County, PA.

The trail is roughly 0.4 miles long, with 230 feet of elevation gain along the way (and there are benches to rest at along the trail).

Looking down Dunbar's Knob towards Jumonville Camp.
Looking back down the trail towards Jumonville Camp.

The trail also affords some beautiful views of both the Jumonville camp and Uniontown in the distance.

View from the road leading up to the Jumonville Cross.
View from the trail leading up to the Jumonville Cross.

Exploring the Jumonville Cross and Scenic Overlook

Seeing the Jumonville Cross up-close is truly remarkable!

A man standing next to the Jumonville Cross gives a sense of scale to the 60 foot-tall structure.
A man standing next to the Jumonville Cross gives a sense of scale to the 60 foot-tall structure.

The main shaft of the cross stands 60 feet tall and weighs about 47,000 pounds, while the two projecting “arms” of the cross are each 12 feet long.

Vintage postcard featuring the Jumonville Cross.
Vintage 1950s postcard featuring the Jumonville Cross.

The materials for the Jumonville Cross were all locally sourced –  U.S. Steel rolled steel plates, Moore Metal Works in Greensburg fabricated its three sections, and Dils Construction Company of Uniontown welded them together on location at Dunbar’s Knob.

Jumonville Cross is 60 feet tall and stands on an 8 foot foundation.
The main shaft of the cross stands 60 feet tall and is anchored to a base of 183 tons of reinforced concrete.

The cross was erected on August 26, 1950, and the Dedication services were held September 9, 1950.

Plaque on the foundation of the Jumonville Cross.
Plaque on the foundation of the cross.

Not only is the cross itself inspiring, but the views from its base are spectacular.

Description of the view from Dunbar's Knob and the Jumonville Cross.
Description of the view from Dunbar’s Knob.

On a clear day Dunbar’s Knob boasts a view of three states and seven counties, with sights up to 50 miles away! 

Looking out over Uniontown from the base of the Jumonville Cross.
Looking out over Uniontown from Dunbar’s Knob.

Final Thoughts

Since the 1950’s, people from around the globe have made their way to Jumonville to gaze upon the massive cross on Dunbar’s Knob, the second-largest cross in Pennsylvania.

Vintage postcard showing the entrance to the Jumonville Methodist Training Center in the 1950s.
Vintage postcard showing the entrance to the Jumonville Methodist Training Center in the 1950s.

This monument to peace and hope is a must-see when passing through Fayette County, impressive not only for its sheer size, but for the inspirational symbolism and magnificent views as well.

The Jumonville Cross near Uniontown Pennsylvania.
The Jumonville Cross near Uniontown Pennsylvania.

Nearby Attractions

Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Fayette County is the site of the first battle in what would become known in North America as the French and Indian War (and known elsewhere as the Seven Years War), a global struggle for empire between the two superpowers of that time, France and England.

Inside the entrance at the Fort Necessity museum.
Inside the entrance at the Fort Necessity museum.

Laurel Caverns is billed as “Pennsylvania’s Largest Cave”, and is a great way to spend an hour or two BENEATH Fayette County!

The overhead Grand Canyon of Laurel Caverns.
Laurel Caverns in Fayette County.

Fallingwater, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and known as  “the best all-time work of American architecture”, is located nearby in Fayette County and available for tours.

The "classic view" of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater in the PA Laurel Highlands.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater in Fayette County.

Kentuck Knob in Fayette County is a another Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home you can tour, built in 1954 for Isaac and Bernardine Hagan, founders of the Hagan Ice Cream company in nearby Uniontown, PA.

The sandstone walls and cantilevered roof over the patio surrounding Kentuck Knob.
The sandstone walls and cantilevered roof over the patio at Kentuck Knob.

10 Must-See Waterfalls at Ohiopyle State Park is your guide to Fayette County’s biggest and best falls.

Selfie at Lower Jonathan Run Falls, Ohiopyle State Park
The author at Lower Jonathan Run Falls at Ohiopyle State Park.

The 10 Best Hiking Trails at Ohiopyle State Park is your insider’s guide to the best hiking in Fayette County.

The author photographing an autumn sunrise at Baughman Rock Overlook.
The author at Baughman Rock Overlook at Ohiopyle State Park.

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Rusty Glessner
Rusty Glessner is a professional photographer, lifelong Pennsylvanian, and a frequently-cited authority on PA's best travel destinations.