This Small US National Park in the Midwest Was Just Named the Most Active in the World

The paradox of travel is that the most interesting or worth-doing things are often the most popular, leading to overcrowding. And in the world of national parks, this tension is amplified by factors such as location, accessibility, and sheer size.

Carry Wrangell-St. Elías National Park and Reserve in Alaska, which spans 13.2 million acres and is about a 3.5-hour drive from Anchorage. Here, overcrowding is almost impossible. Contrast that with Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri, which includes only 91 acres and is located in the heart of a major city.

That contrast helps explain why Gateway Arch was recently named the most active national park in the world. According to a study by the South African tour operator Go2Africawhich analyzed the number of visitors in relation to the size of the park, Gateway Arch receives almost 7 million visitors per square kilometer each year. (With 2.56 million annual visitors and only 0.37 square kilometers of space, the calculations are correct.)

The study results illustrate the popularity and size of Gateway Arch National Park, but it is important to remember that Gateway Arch is not a typical U.S. national park. Rather than acting as a nature or wildlife sanctuary, it was established to offer panoramic views of the surrounding city and share the history of St. Louis. In that sense, it has more in common with the Empire State Building than with Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon.

That said, the numbers are true; the Arch Gateway website He notes that during the summer season, the tram to the top of the arch makes up to 80 trips a day, and states that “6,400 people can visit the top each day.” Going to the top of the arch, which reaches a height of 630 feet, may be the highlight of a visit to the Gateway Arch, but there is also a museum beneath the arch and gardens and ponds at its base.

To see this wonder, without overwhelming crowds, there are a few strategies. The park is noticeably quieter in winter, with only 48 trips to the summit (instead of 80 trips in the summer), and is less crowded on weekdays and early mornings; Trips to the arch begin shortly after 9 a.m. each day. And while same-day tickets are available, tram tickets can sell out (especially during the summer), so it’s recommended to purchase tickets and reserve the day and time of your visit in advance at gatewayarch.com.

The trip to the top of the arch takes 45 to 60 minutes and includes 10 minutes at the top of the arch. Ticket prices are $15 to $19 for adults and $11 to $15 for children ages 3 to 15. The price varies depending on the day and time of your visit.

Following Gateway Arch National Park on Go2Africa’s list of busiest national parks was Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China, famous for being the real-life inspiration for the Hallelujah Mountains in the movie Avatar, and National Hot Springs Park in Arkansas, which is only 5,550 acres but welcomed nearly 2.5 million visitors in 2024.

The complete list of the most popular national parks can be found at go2africa.com.