Gateway Arch National Park Overview
Gateway Arch National Park protects about 91 acres along the St. Louis riverfront, including the Gateway Arch, landscaped grounds, museum spaces, and the Old Courthouse. The park recorded 2,209,028 recreation visits in 2025, making it a high-traffic urban national park rather than a wilderness destination. A visit is closer to a museum, monument, and downtown walking experience than a traditional backcountry trip.
The Arch grounds connect the Mississippi River, landscaped park space, underground museum exhibits, tram access to the top of the Arch, and nearby historic downtown St. Louis. Visitors should plan around timed tickets, security screening, museum time, riverfront walking, and the seasonal availability of tours and nearby attractions.
The site was first protected as Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in 1935 and was redesignated Gateway Arch National Park on February 22, 2018. Its story connects westward expansion, civic architecture, the Mississippi River, and civil rights history at the Old Courthouse.
Walking and Historic Sites in Gateway Arch National Park
Gateway Arch does not have hiking or backpacking in the traditional national park sense. The NPS Things To Do page helps visitors plan walking the Arch grounds, riverfront paths, surrounding downtown connections, the museum, and the Old Courthouse area.
There is no camping in the park. Visitors typically use hotels in St. Louis or regional campgrounds outside the city.
Things to Do in Gateway Arch National Park
The tram ride to the top of the Gateway Arch is the headline activity, and Tram Tickets should be planned in advance when possible. The view connects downtown St. Louis, the Mississippi River, and the surrounding region.
The museum below the Arch is one of the most important things to do in Gateway Arch National Park. Exhibits help visitors understand westward expansion, Indigenous history, river commerce, and the complicated story behind the monument.
Walking the Arch grounds, riverfront paths, and nearby downtown streets gives the park its urban recreation value. Visitors can combine the park with photography, river views, the Old Courthouse area, and other St. Louis attractions.
This is not a hiking, fishing, or camping park, so the strongest visitor activities are museum visits, tram tickets, historic sites, family travel, accessibility, and downtown St. Louis planning.
Gateway Arch National Park Camping and Lodging
There is no camping in the park. Visitors use hotels and campgrounds in the St. Louis region.
Official Gateway Arch National Park Resources
Use the official NPS page, park map, and current alerts when planning a trip to Gateway Arch National Park.