National Parks of China
Overview
| Designation | US National Park |
| Name | Gateway Arch National Park |
| Established | 2018 |
| Location | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Nearby citiesSt. Louis | |
| Nearby sites | Mammoth Cave National Park, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Indiana Dunes National Park, Hot Springs National Park |
| Latitude, longitude | 38.62, -90.19 Google Maps |
| Themes | Building, City |
About
Gateway Arch National Park is in St. Louis, Missouri. It became a US national park in 2018.
Travel tips
Getting there: the park is on the Mississippi River in downtown St. Louis. From Lambert International Airport, light rail runs to downtown; get off at Arch–Laclede's Landing station and walk about eight minutes south through the park.
The Arch: it stands 630 feet (about 192 metres), the tallest human-made monument in the United States, designed by Eero Saarinen and completed in 1965.
Going up: a small tram inside the Arch takes visitors to the viewing windows at the top in about four minutes; tickets are sold for timed slots and can sell out in busy periods, so book ahead.
Museum: the underground museum beneath the Arch covers westward expansion, which is free to enter, and shows a short film on how the Arch was built.
Old Courthouse: in the park, a 19th-century building where the Dred Scott case was heard, now a museum.
Time: half a day to a day, including the ride, the museum and the Old Courthouse.
Season: any season; summer is hot and winter cold, but the interior is climate controlled.
Where to stay: downtown St. Louis has many hotels, most within walking distance of the Arch.
Caution: the tram cars are small and not for those uneasy in enclosed spaces; there is a security check before the ride.
Photo credits: Gateway Arch National Park: NPS (public domain)