Gateway Arch National Park
The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, is a monument that was built in the 1960s to honor the westward expansion of the United States. The Arch is a 630-foot tall stainless steel structure that stands on the west bank of the Mississippi River in downtown St. Louis. It is the tallest arch in the world and the tallest man-made monument in the United States.
The idea for the Arch was first proposed in the 1930s, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that a design competition was held to choose the final design. The winning design was submitted by Eero Saarinen, a Finnish-American architect. Construction on the Arch began in 1963 and was completed in October 1965.
The Arch is a significant cultural and historical resource because it is a symbol of the westward expansion of the United States and the pioneering spirit of the American people. It is also a reminder of the important role that St. Louis played in the westward expansion, as it was a major gateway for people, goods, and ideas traveling westward.
The Arch was designated a National Park in 2018 amid some controversy. However, what cannot be disputed is that the Gateway Arch is an iconic symbol of the US and one that everyone should make an effort to go visit.
VISIT Gateway Arch National Park:
Park Details
Gateway Arch National Park was established in .
| Address | |
|---|---|
| Phone | 314-655-1600 |
| Hours | 5:00am -11:00pm year round |
| Entrance Fee | $3 to enter per person; $12-$15 tickets to top |
When to Visit: Weather vs. Peak Visitation
We crunched 30 years of historical weather and/or park service data to find the best months to visit Gateway Arch National Park. We looked for the optimal temperatures, the least amount of snow and rain, and stayed away from peak visitation months if we could help it. All this data then helped us paint a picture as to what the absolute best time to visit Gateway Arch National Park is.
Our data shows the best months to visit Gateway Arch National Park are September, October, May & June.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park Visits | 25,026 | 21,258 | 65,025 | 61,664 | 77,153 | 117,599 | 363,556 | 118,126 | 78,848 | 84,326 | 68,249 | 64,253 |
| Precipitation | 60 | 69 | 84 | 98 | 95 | 60 | 55 | 49 | 61 | 67 | 87 | 68 |
| Avg Temp | 41 | 46 | 57 | 68 | 77 | 87 | 91 | 91 | 82 | 70 | 56 | 44 |
| Max Temp | 60 | 66 | 75 | 83 | 90 | 96 | 101 | 101 | 95 | 86 | 74 | 62 |
| Avg Temp | 25 | 29 | 36 | 45 | 56 | 65 | 67 | 65 | 57 | 47 | 37 | 28 |
| Min Temp | 5 | 12 | 18 | 28 | 38 | 49 | 54 | 51 | 38 | 29 | 20 | 10 |
Gateway Arch National Park Road Trips
Many family vacations consist of stringing one or more national parks together during a week-long trip. Creating these types of trips is our specialty! Here are the road trips we've created where Gateway Arch National Park is visited.
| Trip Name | Trip Miles | Trip Days |
|---|---|---|
| Route 66 National Park Road Trip | 2,300 | 13 |
| Gateway Arch, Ozarks to Hot Springs | 719 | 7 |
Other Nearby National Park Sites
From national monuments, to historic sites to seashores and more, here are the other parks closest to Gateway Arch National Park.