Field guide
Gateway Arch National Park parking and running guide
Find official information for running and hiking at Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis. Learn about trail surfaces, hours, and access.
Gateway Arch National Park offers a place for running and hiking in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. The park contains over five miles of paved trails.
This guide covers the park's routes, access, and rules for visitors, based on official information from the National Park Service.
Official facts at a glance
- Park location
- downtown St. Louis, Missouri
- Location of 'Carve Your Own Path' activity
- Around the Park Grounds and into the city
- Paved trails length
- over five miles
- Path surface
- wide concrete paths with gentle slopes
- Path difficulty
- gentle slopes
- Season
- Year Round
- Time of day
- Any Time
- Reservations required
- No
- Activity fee
- No
- Pets allowed
- Yes
- Notable features near park grounds
- Old Courthouse (part of Gateway Arch National Park), Kiener Plaza and Citygarden
- Amenities
- benches interspersed throughout the park
- Notable features for 'Rise to the West' activity
- Grand Staircase or ramps
- Grand Staircase details
- about 65 steps with a hand railing on each of its outer edges
Sources: Carve Your Own Path (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov), Maps (nps.gov), Rise to the West (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov). Official pages, checked Oct 21, 2026.
The running and hiking route
The park features over five miles of trails. The paths are wide, paved with concrete, and have gentle slopes.
Benches are available and are interspersed throughout the park grounds for rest.
Route features and connections
A notable feature is the Grand Staircase, which has about 65 steps and a hand railing on its outer edges. Ramps are also available as an alternative.
The park's paths connect to the city, providing routes toward nearby areas like the Old Courthouse, Kiener Plaza, and Citygarden.
Park grounds hours and rules
The park grounds are open for use year round and at any time of day. Access to the trails does not require an activity fee or reservations.
Pets are permitted in the park.
Before you go
- The park grounds are open any time, year round.
- There is no activity fee to use the park grounds.
- No reservations are required for the trails.
- Pets are permitted in the park.
- The trails are wide concrete paths with gentle slopes.
- The Grand Staircase has about 65 steps.
Nearby options: running and active spots in St. Louis. All cities: City running and hiking guides.