Parks / Heartland to the Chihuahuan Desert
Gateway Arch
Stop 5 of 51 on the loop. Stay in St Louis MO, give it 2 nights, and plan the day around Gateway Arch / riverfront.
- State
- MO
- Stay in
- St Louis MO
- Nights on this route
- 2
- Month on this route
- April
- Don't miss
- Gateway Arch / riverfront
- Getting here
- 1,374 mi from Key West FL, about 26 h 7 min. Plan 3 overnight stops.
- Next stop
- Hot Springs, 398 mi, about 7 h 29 min.
About the Park
Gateway Arch National Park commemorates President Jefferson’s vision of a continental nation, the individuals and cultural groups who helped shape its history, St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, and Dred and Harriet Scott, who sued for their freedom in the Old Courthouse.
Description from the National Park Service.
Where to Stay
On this route you sleep in St Louis MO. Gateway towns have more lodging, groceries and fuel than the park itself. If you want an in-park lodge instead, the busiest parks book up as early as 13 months out.
Entrance Fees
The NPS lists no entrance fee for this park. Tours, ferries, parking or campgrounds may still cost money.
An $80 America the Beautiful annual pass covers entry at every national park; on a trip like this it pays for itself after three parks. Fees from the NPS, checked 2026-10-18.
Nearby Parks
- Mammoth Cave about 253 mi as the crow flies
- Indiana Dunes about 264 mi as the crow flies
- Hot Springs about 326 mi as the crow flies
Official site: https://www.nps.gov/jeff/. Route data checked 2026-10-19.