Parking
Stadium East Parking Garage at 200 S Broadway is a few blocks from the park entrance on 4th Street. Walk into the grounds to the commons south of the Basilica to start.
Overview
About North Pond Loop
Why go
- The Arch appears above the pond and in its reflection.
- Wide concrete paths, gentle slopes, and benches.
Heads up
- The short approach between the commons and pond is retraced.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Gateway Arch map
Full mapElevation446–479 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
1 active Gateway Arch alert
- ClosureDowntown St. Louis approach-road closuresConstruction closes two downtown St. Louis approaches; use another route when traveling to Gateway Arch National Park. - I-44: the westbound express lanes and Broadway exit are closed.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Gateway Arch Tour Guide
Your drive to North Pond Loop, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Gateway Arch National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Gateway Arch and Visitor Center0:00 / 0:40
“You're approaching the Gateway Arch and its Visitor Center. For the tram, book ahead and allow about an hour. You'll ride in a small five-person capsule, but the round trip still involves at least ninety-six steps.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Gateway Arch Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Old Cathedral
- Gateway Helicopter Tours
- Riverboats and Paddlewheel Café
- Old Courthouse and Kiener Plaza
- 6 audio storiesacross Gateway Arch’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red-tailed Hawk, Groundhog, Opossum, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 3 trails, 24 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking North Pond Loop
A one-mile pond walkNorth Pond Loop is a short paved walk through the north grounds of Gateway Arch National Park.
North Pond Loop is a short paved walk through the north grounds of Gateway Arch National Park. From the commons south of the Basilica of St. Louis, it follows park paths to North Pond, circles the water, then returns along the same approach. The complete walk is about one mile and takes around 30 minutes at an easy pace. The pond circuit is about 0.6 mile; the shared approach adds the rest. Choose it for a low-effort close-up of the Arch and its reflection, not for a long or wild hike. The route uses the grounds path network, so follow the map for the pond circuit.
Underfoot and at the waterThe park paths are wide concrete with gentle slopes and benches.
The park paths are wide concrete with gentle slopes and benches. From the pond path, the Arch fills the skyline above the water. For the walk's defining photo, include the Arch above and its reflection below from the paved path. More than five miles of paved grounds paths offer longer add-ons if you want to keep walking.
Why the pond bendsThe North and South ponds were designed with curves that echo the Arch.
The North and South ponds were designed with curves that echo the Arch. Landscape architect Dan Kiley used geometric forms throughout the grounds. Ducks and geese frequent the pond, and in spring you may see adults with young; give them room. Restrooms and water are at the Visitor Center.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Gateway Arch
17 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
14 sightingsGroundhogMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
11 sightingsOpossumMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
16 sightingsCottontailMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
113 sightingsCanada GooseMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
70 sightingsMallardMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Gateway Arch. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
