Gateway Arch National Park

Year Established: 2018
Annual Visitors: 1.15 Million
Size: 193 Acres
State: Missouri

Best Time to Visit Gateway Arch National Park

May to October

If you are planning to visit more national parks, check out our complete list of all US National Parks.

Best Experiences in Gateway Arch National Park

  • Check out the top of the Arch!
  • Visit the Old Courthouse (learn about the Dred and Harriet Scott case)

A Brief History

Gateway is a small urban retreat on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown St. Louis. It is very different from the traditional national parks, which have big views and lots of trees.

In the 19th century, homesteaders left the city to stake their claims in the vast western land that President Thomas Jefferson bought from the French in 1803: the Louisiana Purchase. They also went to other frontier territories that the U.S. bought.

To remember this move west, the government hired Eero Saarinen, an architect, to build a monument here. In the middle of the 1960s, he made a 630-foot-tall arch out of stainless steel that tapers and is the tallest in the world. It marks the entrance to the land beyond.

Before becoming a national park, the site was a national monument. It went through a major renovation and expansion more than a decade ago, which finished Saarinen’s original grand plan.

Gateway Arch RV Camping

If you are looking for nearby RV camping options for Gateway Arch National Park or in Missouri, consider checking out our other post:

Visitor Information

Fees

$3.00 per person

Children under the age of 16 and those with an America the Beautiful Pass receive free admission. Both adults and kids must pay extra for the tram trip, movie, and riverboat tours. The Museum Below the Arch is a free attraction.

America The Beautiful Annual Park Pass

You can also get an annual park pass to ALL National Parks in the United States for $80.
Keep in mind they have Senior, Military, and other discounts available!

Contacting Gateway Arch National Park

Gateway Arch Visitor Center

The Flamingo Visitor Center has displays that teach, brochures with information, and wilderness permits. Near the visitor center, you can find a campground, a public boat ramp, a marina store, and other hiking and canoeing trails. Plan ahead for food and other needs, because there aren’t many places to get them. People who go to Flamingo through the main entrance or by boat need to bring enough food and water unless they plan to eat at the Buttonwood Cafe or get basic supplies at the marina.

Address

Gateway Arch,
St. Louis, MO 63102

Phone Number

(877) 982-1410

Hours of Operation

  • Sunday 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
  • Monday 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
  • Tuesday 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
  • Wednesday 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
  • Thursday 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
  • Friday 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
  • Saturday 9:00 AM–8:00 PM