The National Park Service lists 14 units in Missouri: seven places you can visit, led by Gateway Arch National Park and Ozark National Scenic Riverways, and seven long-distance historic trails. Six of the seven sites charge no entrance fee at all; the Arch charges $3 for ages 16 and up when you buy tram or movie tickets.
Fees and hours come from each unit’s own National Park Service page, read October 30, 2026. Where a page does not print hours, the table says so rather than guessing. For more on the historic sites, see Missouri historic sites.
Seven Places to Visit
| Site | Town | What it protects | Fee as printed | Hours as printed | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Arch National Park | St. Louis | Westward expansion story, plus the Dred and Harriet Scott freedom suit | $3 entrance fee for ages 16 and up, charged when you buy tram or movie tickets; museum, store, cafe and Old Courthouse need no ticket. Tram to the top starts at $15 adult, $11 child 3-15; prices vary by date. | Visitor center 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily in spring, fall and winter, later in summer; grounds 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day | Gateway Arch |
| Ozark National Scenic Riverways | Van Buren, Eminence, Salem, Winona | Current River and Jacks Fork; the first national park area made to protect a river system | No entrance pass; some services charge (developed campgrounds, pavilions, Round Spring Cave tours) | Hours page does not give them; Big Spring (573) 323-4236, Alley Spring (573) 226-3945, Round Spring (573) 858-3297 | Ozark Riverways |
| Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield | Republic | The first major Civil War battle west of the Mississippi, August 1861 | No entrance pass | Not stated; the visitor center phone is monitored 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily | Wilson’s Creek |
| Harry S Truman National Historic Site | Independence and Grandview | Places from Truman’s early life, career and post-presidency | Free. Truman Home tours are free but every visitor needs a same-day, first-come ticket from the visitor center, in groups of 8 | Wednesday to Sunday; closed Monday and Tuesday; visitor center at 223 North Main Street, Independence | Truman Site |
| George Washington Carver National Monument | Diamond | The childhood of the agricultural scientist and educator | No fee | Not stated | Carver Monument |
| Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site | St. Louis | The White Haven estate of the Civil War general and 18th president | Entrance and Main House guided tours are free | Open year round; visitor center daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day | Grant Site |
| Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park | Ste. Genevieve | The first permanent European settlement in Missouri, established by 1750 | No entrance fee; house tours are free, limited to 15, with same-day reservation at the welcome center (66 S. Main Street) | Not stated | Ste. Genevieve |
Seven Historic Trails Through Missouri
These are multi-state routes with no single visit address, fee or hours; the NPS pages give maps and the sites along each trail.
| Trail | What it is | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail | 1803-1806 expedition route from Pittsburgh to the Pacific | NPS |
| Trail of Tears National Historic Trail | The 1838-1839 forced removal of the Cherokee people; crosses nine states including Missouri | NPS |
| Pony Express National Historic Trail | The relay mail route between Missouri and California | NPS |
| Santa Fe National Historic Trail | Freight trade route from western Missouri to Santa Fe | NPS |
| Oregon National Historic Trail | Emigrant trail of more than 2,000 miles | NPS |
| California National Historic Trail | Emigrant trail to California in the 1840s and 1850s | NPS |
| Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail | 1857 stagecoach mail route that begins in Missouri | NPS |
What We Could Not Verify
- Hours for Ozark Riverways, Wilson’s Creek, Carver and Ste. Genevieve: the NPS hours pages were blank or pointed elsewhere.
- The Gateway Arch tram price: the page printed both a flat figure and “starting at” amounts; prices vary by date, so check gatewayarch.com.
- Coordinates: the NPS pages we read print none.
- The description column comes from the NPS Missouri list page, not each unit’s home page.
More Missouri Guides
Questions People Ask
How many National Park Service sites are in Missouri?
The NPS Missouri list shows 14 units: seven sites and seven trails.
Is Gateway Arch National Park free?
Not entirely. NPS charges $3 for ages 16 and up when you buy tram or movie tickets; the museum, store, cafe and Old Courthouse need no ticket.
Is there a fee for Ozark National Scenic Riverways?
No entrance pass is required; developed campgrounds, pavilions and Round Spring Cave tours charge.
Where is Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield?
In Republic, near Springfield. The NPS fees page says no entrance pass is required.
Sources
- NPS: Missouri
- NPS: Gateway Arch fees
- NPS: Gateway Arch hours
- NPS: Ozark Riverways fees
- NPS: Ozark Riverways hours
- NPS: Wilson's Creek fees
- NPS: Wilson's Creek hours
- NPS: Truman fees
- NPS: Truman hours
- NPS: Carver fees
- NPS: Carver hours
- NPS: Grant fees
- NPS: Grant hours
- NPS: Ste. Genevieve fees
- NPS: Ste. Genevieve hours
Checked October 30, 2026 by It’s Missouri. Cite this page: It’s Missouri (https://itsmissouri.com/things-to-do/national-park-sites/), checked October 30, 2026. Free to quote with a link.