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Missouri · 1 national park · 13 other NPS sites

National parks in Missouri

Last verified Sources ↓
Missouri has one national park, Gateway Arch National Park. 13 more National Park Service sites round out the map, from Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield.
1Kansas City
Numbered by 2025 visits. ★ Kansas City, Missouri's largest city.

At a glance

Missouri, by the numbers

National parks in Missouri at a glance
National parks1: Gateway Arch
Other NPS sites13 see nps.gov
Most visited park, 2025Gateway Arch 2,209,028 visits (#15 of 63)
Entrance feesFree
EstablishedFebruary 22, 2018
Nearest to Kansas CityGateway Arch 237 mi straight-line, ≈ 5 h 40 min drive (est.)

1 national park

Missouri's national park

Busiest first, by 2025 recreation visits.

  1. Photo: NPS Photo/Sue Ford

    Est. 2018

    Gateway Arch National Park

    2025 visits
    2,209,028
    Entrance
    Free entry
    Busiest month
    July
    Quiet month
    August

    “St. Louis’ role in westward expansion…” (NPS)

From Kansas City

The closest national parks to Kansas City

Measured from Kansas City, Missouri's largest city (521,220 people, Census 2025 estimate). Straight-line miles; drive times are our rough estimate.
Nearest national parks to Kansas City
ParkStraight lineDrive (estimate)
Gateway Arch National ParkMO237 mi≈ 5 h 40 min
Hot Springs National ParkAR328 mi≈ 7 h 50 min
Indiana Dunes National ParkIN429 mi≈ 10 h 10 min
Mammoth Cave National ParkKY476 mi≈ 11 h 20 min

National parks near St. Louis →National parks near Kansas City →

13 other NPS sites

Beyond the national parks

Monuments, historic sites, trails and more: every other place the National Park Service lists for Missouri, grouped by type. Links go to nps.gov.
7 National Historic Trail · 2 National Historic Site · 1 National Battlefield · …Show all 13

National Historic Trail · 7

National Battlefield · 1

National Historical Park · 1

National Scenic Riverways · 1

From the NPS Data API; the same list as Missouri's page on nps.gov. Trails and other multi-state sites appear under each state they cross.

FAQ

Missouri, answered

How many national parks are in Missouri?
1: Gateway Arch National Park. Missouri also has 13 other National Park Service sites, such as Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail and California National Historic Trail.
Do national parks in Missouri charge an entrance fee?
No: it's free to enter, per the National Park Service. An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees.
What is the closest national park to Kansas City?
Gateway Arch National Park, about 237 miles from Kansas City in a straight line, roughly 5 h 40 min by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Kansas City is Missouri's largest city.

Sources · 5

  1. 1.Missouri: parks and places (nps.gov) · National Park Service
  2. 2.NPS Data API — /parks (all park units) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
  3. 3.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (IRMA stats REST service) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior) — Visitor Use Statistics Program
  4. 4.City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
  5. 5.2025 Gazetteer Files: Places · U.S. Census Bureau

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