Gateway Arch National Park
Trip Assistant
How Much Time?
The park is less than 100 acres, so you don’t need much time for walking the grounds. With that said, the Arch is an extremely fun photography subject, so, if you like taking pictures, spend some time with it in different light/sky. Interest in museums varies from person-to-person, but the main museum is modern and engaging. The Old Courthouse was closed for renovations, including a new museum, when I typed this. It wasn’t all that impressive when I went through last, but I did enjoy the Dred Scott exhibit.
Then there are riverboat cruises and helicopter tours to choose from. Maybe stick around the city to catch a sporting event or explore its parks?
Need to Know
- Oddly, it is called a “timed-entry” park. But you can tour the museum and grounds any time and often can get same-day tram tickets.
- So, reservations are a good idea. It does get busy in summer, especially for the 4th.
Highlights
- Tram Tour
- The Museum
- The Park Grounds
- Kiener Plaza Park
- Old Courthouse
- Grand Staircase
Favorite Trails
The grounds are quite nice but it isn't exactly a hiking park. It's less than 100 acres of land.
When To Go?
Weather
Visitation
Summer is hot and the massive visitation spike is from the 4th of July. There’s really no bad time to stop in.
Park Map Downloads
Road Trips
Helpful Tools
Below you'll see a Google Map to help plan road trips from the east (Mammoth Cave), north (Isle Royale), and southwest (Hot Springs). It’s a good start, but I’d highly recommend making your own. Google My Maps, Wanderlog, and TripIt are incredibly useful trip planning tools. Find what works best for you!
There’s much more to our country. Here’s another Google Map with points of interest across all types of public land.
For campers, here’s a Google Map with National Forest campgrounds. National Park campgrounds are difficult to reserve (there are about 200!). With nearly 5,000 national forest campgrounds, you can usually pull in and find a spot.
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