Photo: Parker Botanical, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The smallest national park in the country is also one of the most recognizable: a 630-foot curve of stainless steel on the bank of the Mississippi River. The Arch honors the role St. Louis played in the westward expansion of the United States, and the museum beneath it tells that story, including its costs to the Native nations already living in the West. Ride the small tram to the top, walk the landscaped grounds and cross the street to the Old Courthouse, where Dred and Harriet Scott sued for their freedom. Most visits take half a day, and you won't need a car once you arrive.
TRAILS
1 OF 6
Tram Ride to the Top
Difficulty
Easy
Length
Tram ride
Elevation gain
630 ft by tram
Gateway Arch · Visitor Center — Fold yourself into a small, five-seat capsule and ride a four-minute tram up inside one leg of the Arch. At the top, narrow windows look west over downtown and east across the Mississippi into Illinois. Plan 45 to 60 minutes for the whole trip, with several minutes at the top. The capsules are snug, so this one may not suit anyone who dislikes tight spaces.
⚠︎ Ticketed and often sold out. Buy ahead.
Photo: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, NPS from St. Louis, M, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
2 OF 6
Museum at the Gateway Arch
Difficulty
Easy
Length
Indoors
Elevation gain
None
Gateway Arch · Visitor Center — A free museum right under the Arch, with six galleries covering two centuries of history, from colonial St. Louis to the building of the Arch itself. It doesn't shy away from hard chapters, including the forced removal of Native peoples and the role of slavery. Give it at least an hour. It's a perfect spot to wait out your tram time.
Photo: Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
3 OF 6
Arch Grounds Loop
Difficulty
Easy
Length
1.5 mi loop
Elevation gain
Minimal
Gateway Arch · park grounds — About 90 acres of lawns, tree-lined paths and two reflecting ponds surround the Arch. A loop around the grounds gives you the Arch from every angle, including its reflection in the north pond. The walkways are paved and mostly level. Come at sunrise or after dark, when the steel glows and the paths are calm.
Photo: Daniel Haim, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
4 OF 6
Old Courthouse
Difficulty
Easy
Length
Under 1 mi
Elevation gain
Minimal
Downtown · Broadway and Market Street — A short walk west from the Arch across Luther Ely Smith Square, this domed courthouse is where Dred and Harriet Scott first sued for their freedom in the 1840s, a case that reached the Supreme Court. It reopened in 2025 with new exhibits about the people and cases tried here. Entry is free. Look up inside the rotunda at the painted dome.
Photo: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
5 OF 6
Mississippi Riverfront
Difficulty
Easy
Length
1–3 mi
Elevation gain
Flat
Riverfront · Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard — Walk down the grand steps from the Arch to the river and stroll the paved riverfront, where barges push upstream and the bridges cross to Illinois. A riverfront trail continues north for miles if you want a longer walk or bike ride. The river rises high some springs, so parts of the path can flood. Bring water on hot days; there's little shade.
⚠︎ Riverfront paths can close during high water.
Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
6 OF 6
Eads Bridge Walk
Difficulty
Easy
Length
1–2 mi
Elevation gain
Minimal
Riverfront · Laclede’s Landing — Just north of the park, the Eads Bridge opened in 1874 as one of the first big steel bridges in the world, and its upper deck still has a sidewalk for walkers and bikers. Walk out over the Mississippi for the best side view of the Arch with the city behind it. Turn around at midspan or cross all the way to Illinois. Sunset makes the steel glow.
Photo: formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Plan your Gateway Arch trip
The Nova Bound app builds the whole trip around these trails: where to stay, where to charge, and what to see each day. Coming soon to the App Store.
Distances are round trip unless noted, from NPS.gov and rounded. Trails, permits and road openings change; always check nps.gov before you go. Trail write-ups by Nova Bound.