Gateway Arch
The 630-foot stainless steel Arch on the St. Louis riverfront, with a free museum below
- Hours
- Grounds 5 am to 11 pm daily
- Entry
- Free entry
- Reservations
- Required in season
- Size
- About 91 acres
Gateway Arch Weather Now
Loading the forecast for Gateway Arch…
Gateway Arch National Park sits on the downtown St. Louis riverfront and honors the city's role in the westward expansion of the United States. Eero Saarinen designed the Arch, which was finished in 1965 and stands 630 feet tall and 630 feet wide at its base. It is the tallest human-made monument in the country. The site was called Jefferson National Expansion Memorial until it was renamed a national park in 2018.
Most visitors ride the tram up one leg, explore the free museum beneath the Arch and walk to the Old Courthouse. The Courthouse is where Dred and Harriet Scott first sued for their freedom, a case that led to the 1857 Supreme Court decision. The tram system uses a mix of elevator and Ferris wheel ideas so the capsules stay level as they climb the curve. It is one of the smallest national parks, so you can see it all in a day.
The park and surrounding area
- Park boundary
- Other parks
- Major highway
- Road
- Rivers and lakes
- Town
Plan your trip
- Best time to go
- April to early June and September to October bring mild weather and fewer crowds than hot, busy summer days.
- How long to stay
- Half a day to a full day is enough to see the Arch, the museum and the Old Courthouse.
- Getting there
- St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) is about 20 minutes away by car, and the MetroLink light rail runs from the airport to stops a short walk from the Arch.
- Wildlife
- Look for squirrels, songbirds, Canada geese on the ponds, and bald eagles and pelicans along the Mississippi in winter and during migration.
Plan and book
Some links below are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this works
Where to stay
- Hotels in St. Louis (opens in a new tab)Missouri
- Hotels in Clayton (opens in a new tab)Missouri
- Hotels in St. Charles (opens in a new tab)Missouri
- No lodging inside the park. The towns above are the closest bases.
Tours and activities
- Guided tours on Viator (opens in a new tab)Day trips, wildlife, photography
- Tours on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)Compare options and reviews
- Campsites on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)Official federal booking site
What to pack for Gateway Arch
- Comfortable walking shoesYou will walk the grounds, riverfront and downtown between sites.
- Small crossbody bagSecurity screening is faster with a small bag, and large bags are discouraged.
- Refillable water bottleSt. Louis summers are hot and humid, and the grounds have little shade at midday.
- Compact umbrellaSpring and summer thunderstorms can roll in quickly.
- Wide-angle phone lensIt helps fit the whole Arch into a photo from close up.
A first day, start to finish
- Morning tram ride to the top
- Museum at the Gateway Arch
- Lunch downtown or at the Arch Cafe
- Old Courthouse
- Riverboat cruise or sunset walk along the riverfront
Don't miss
- Tram Ride to the TopA 4-minute ride in a small five-seat capsule up the inside of one leg to an observation deck 630 feet up, with views over St. Louis and the Mississippi.
- Museum at the Gateway ArchFree galleries under the Arch covering St. Louis history, westward expansion and the people affected by it.
- Old CourthouseThe 1860s domed courthouse where Dred and Harriet Scott sued for their freedom, a short walk west across the park.
- Mississippi riverfrontWalk the levee below the Arch or take a one-hour sightseeing cruise on a replica paddlewheeler, about $26 for adults.
- Arch grounds and reflecting pondsTree-lined paths, ponds and lawns that frame the Arch, with the best photo angles from the north and south ends.
Know before you go
Do
- Reserve tram tickets ahead, especially on summer days, weekends and holidays.
- Arrive 30 minutes before your tram time to get through airport-style security.
- Enter from the west side facing the Old Courthouse; the Arch legs are exit only.
Don't
- Bring weapons, pepper spray or fixed-blade knives; they are not allowed through security.
- Book the tram if you are uncomfortable in tight spaces; the capsules are small and you sit knee to knee.
- Skip the free museum, which takes an hour or more and needs no ticket.
The park grounds are open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. The Arch visitor center and museum are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (until 8 p.m. on summer Fridays and Saturdays), with the last tram leaving one hour before closing, and the Old Courthouse is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Arch and Old Courthouse close on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Book the first tram of the morning for the clearest views and the shortest security line, then walk to the Old Courthouse when it opens.Trekker's tip