Superintendent's Compendium for 2026

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Gateway Arch National Park
Superintendent’s Compendium
Approved on May 28, 2026
By David Murray, Superintendent

In accordance with applicable law and policy, and pursuant to the delegated authorities provided in Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 1 (“36 CFR”), the following compendium actions apply to all lands and waters administered by the National Park Service (NPS) within the boundaries of Gateway Arch National Park. This document is the written compilation of designations, closures, permit requirements and other restrictions imposed under the discretionary authority of the Superintendent, as required by 36 CFR 1.7(b). Violating any provision in this Compendium may result in criminal penalties under 36 CFR 1.3.

The compendium actions in this document apply in addition to all other laws that apply to lands and waters administered by the NPS within the boundaries of Gateway Arch National Park. These include:

• Regulations in 36 CFR and other CFR titles such as Title 43, which contains regulations that apply on public lands administered by the Department of the Interior. The current version of the CFR can be found at www.ecfr.gov. Click on “Title 36” and then “Chapter 1” to access 36 CFR.

• Statute codified in U.S. Code, in particular provisions in Titles 16 and 54.

This Compendium is organized by the sections in 36 CFR that give the Superintendent discretionary authority to take the compendium action. Written determinations that explain why each compendium action is necessary appear in this document in italicized print.

Please contact the Superintendent if you have any questions or comments about the Compendium:

Gateway Arch National Park
11 North Fourth Street
St. Louis, Missouri 63102
[phone]
e-mail us

NPS regulations in 36 CFR 1.4 define certain terms that are used in 36 CFR. Other sections in 36 CFR may define terms that are used in those sections. To the extent any terms defined in the CFR are used in this Compendium, those definitions apply. In addition to terms defined in the CFR, the following terms used in this Compendium are defined as follows:

• CCTV - closed circuit television cameras

• Electronic cigarette (E-cigarette) - a battery-powered vaporizer which simulates tobacco smoking by producing an aerosol that resembles smoke. It generally uses a heating element known as an atomizer that vaporizes a liquid solution known as e-liquid. Also known as e-cig or e-cigarette, personal vaporizer (PV) or electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS).

• Federal facility - a building or part thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government, where Federal employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties (18 USC 930).

• Mobility assistance device - motorized wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and Segway devices used for mobility assistance.

• Motorized scooter - a powered stand-up scooter using a small utility gas engine or electric motor.Secure area - the area of the Arch complex beyond the screening checkpoint to include all areas that are not accessible to the public. The area does not include the lobby or public restrooms at the west entrance.

• Service animals - dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. (Americans with Disabilities Act guidance on service animals) & 28 CFR 36.104)

• Skateboard - a board having a set of four wheels mounted under it or on the side, ridden in a standing, crouching or seated position.

• Unmanned aircraft - a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the device, and the associated operational elements and components that are required for the pilot or system operator in command to operate or control the device (such as cameras, sensors, communication links). This term includes all types of devices that meet this definition (e.g., model airplanes, quadcopters, drones) that are used for any purpose, including for recreation or commerce.

• Wading - walking in or through water.

36 CFR § 1.5 – CLOSURES AND PUBLIC USE LIMITS.
36 CFR § 1.5(a)(1) – Visiting hours, public use limits and closures

Visiting Hours

• The Arch Grounds and Luther Ely Smith Square are open to visitors every day of the year between 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

• The Historic Old Courthouse is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

• The Gateway Arch and Visitor Center is open:

• 9am to 6pm Labor Day through the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend

• 9am to 8pm Friday and Saturdays - Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend

• The Historic Old Courthouse, Gateway Arch, and Visitor Center are open 9am-4pm on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

• Severe weather may cause the park to close until such time as it is safe for visitation.

Determination –The above schedule is in place to provide maximum visitor and resource protection consistent with current staffing levels.

Public Use Limits

Arch Complex

• All visitors, park staff, vendors, and contractors entering the Gateway Arch Complex must submit to security screening by NPS staff for the purpose of deterring and detecting explosives, weapons, and other prohibited items. All mobility devices including wheelchairs and strollers will be physically searched. The NPS does not provide storage or safekeeping for any item that is prohibited. Refusal to submit to security screening is grounds to refuse entry to the secure area of the Gateway Arch NAtional Park.

Prohibited Items

• Explosives, explosive devices, or components of an explosive device or system.

• Chemical or biological agents include mace, pepper spray, and other propellants.

• Guns and other items that shoot projectiles.

• Tasers/stun guns.

• Knives or weapons illegal under Missouri State law or Federal statute such as brass knuckles, and stiletto knives, dirks, throwing stars, double bladed knives, knives with blades over 4”; other edged weapons such as, but not limited to, household/garden tools, sabers, bayonets, swords, daggers, and machetes.

• Liquid or food without lids.

• Packages, bags, or containers that cannot fit through the Safe Passage X-ray.

• Signs or poles that cannot be rolled/folded to fit through the x-ray machine.

• Other items determined by a Commissioned Ranger to be potential weapons.

Determination: Items considered prohibited are those that pose risks, are illegal, or are deemed to create safety concerns for employees and visitors. These risks may stem from the potential for injury caused by dangerous objects, such as weapons or toxic materials, or from situations where staff members are left vulnerable to threats that undermine their ability to maintain security. Furthermore, objects that are challenging to inspect or control, like large bags or containers, may impede staff’s ability to uphold security procedures and safeguard everyone in the facility. The standard’s prohibited items list includes categories of controlled items that might otherwise be banned but could have legitimate, authorized uses in federal settings. Such items may require prior written notice and approval before being brought into the facility.

Closures

Swimming and Bathing

• Swimming and bathing is prohibited in the following locations:

• North and South Reflective Ponds

• West Entrance Water Feature

Determination: Swimming and bathing is not compatible with the protection of wildlife found in and on these waters. There is also a public safety concern, and this is designed to protect the safety of visitors from poor water quality conditions, unknown hazards, injurious debris that may be on the floor of the concrete, man-made ponds, and prevent the potential inability to get out of the pond safely. This use is not compatible with the intent or design of the water feature. There is also a public safety concern, and this is designed to protect the safety of visitors from poor water quality conditions.

Erection of Structures

• The use of tents, pop-up shelters, and temporary structures are prohibited within the park boundary. Any activities or uses that require the presence of a tent, pop-up shade shelter, or other temporary structure may only be authorized via a Special Use Permit under conditions established by the Superintendent.

Determination: This restriction is intended to preserve the integrity of the park environment and ensure public safety. Security measures put in place after September 11, 2001, necessitate that public ingress and egress is managed in all non-public areas to reduce risk and for public safety.

36 CFR § 1.5(a)(2) - The following areas have been designated for a specific use or activity,under the conditions and/or restrictions as noted:

Engine Idling

• The idling of any vehicle engine that produces exhaust in the bus pullout zone near the Old Cathedral, the Old Cathedral Parking Lot, and Smith Square is restricted to only loading and unloading of passengers. Engine warm-up or idling prior to loading or unloading of passengers is limited to 10 minutes.

Determination –Prolonged idling releases harmful emissions, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds, which contribute to air pollution and smog formation, posing health risks such as respiratory and cardiovascular problems.

Sports Activities

• The following areas are close to organized sports: Gateway Arch Grounds and Luther Ely Smith Square.

• There are no designated areas for ice skating, ice hockey or sledding within the boundary of Gateway Arch National Park.

• There are no designated areas for aquatic sports within the boundary of Gateway Arch National Park.

Determination: The limitation on organized sports is essential to safeguard park resources and reduce the risk of accidental harm to both participants and visitors. The reflective ponds are cultural landscape features and not established for the purpose of water-based sports or use of water-based devices such as boats, kayaks, boards, inflatables, etc. Additionally, the reflective ponds attract migratory and non-migratory waterfowl that breed, nest and raise young in and around the reflective ponds. The above restriction provides protection to the waterfowl and reduces disturbance to this wildlife.

Unmanned Aircraft

• Launching, landing, or operating an uncrewed or remotely piloted aircraft from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service within the boundaries of the Gateway Arch National Park is prohibited except as approved in writing by the Superintendent.

Determination: This restriction is necessary to prevent unacceptable impacts to park resources and values from the use of uncrewed aircraft. Potential impacts include harming visitors, interfering with rescue operations, causing excessive noise, impacting viewsheds, and disturbing wildlife. This restriction is required by NPS Reference Manual #60: Aviation Management, Chapter 12 – Uncrewed Aircraft Systems.

Filming, still photography, and audio recording activity may require a permit, consistent with 54 U.S.C. 100905.

• Filming, still photography, and audio recording activity that occurs in closed areas, requires exclusive use of a site or area, or involves a set or staging equipment other than handheld equipment (such as a tripod, monopod, and handheld lighting equipment) requires a permit, unless the activity is affiliated with an activity or event that has been allowed under a written authorization, such as a special use permit.
• Filming, still photography, and audio recording that involves more than eight individuals requires a permit, unless the NPS has specifically notified an individual or group that a permit is not required, or if the activity is affiliated with an activity or event that has been allowed under a written authorization, such as a special use permit.
• If a permit is required for the reasons stated above, or if the NPS otherwise determines and then notifies an individual or group that a permit is required for a filming, still photography, or audio recording activity, then engaging in that activity without a permit is prohibited. Violating a term or condition of a permit issued by the NPS for a filming, still photography, or audio recording activity is prohibited, and may result in the suspension or revocation of the permit, in addition to any penalties that may apply under 36 CFR 1.3.

Determination: Federal law at 54 U.S.C. 100905 states that permits and fees are not required for filming, still photography, or audio recording in park areas if certain requirements are met. These requirements address various topics, including, but not limited to, group size, location, equipment, potential impacts to resources and visitors, and the likelihood that the NPS will incur related administrative costs. If any of these requirements are not met, the law allows the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the NPS, to require a permit for the subject activity. Permit requirements are imposed by the Superintendent under discretionary authority provided by 36 CFR 1.5(a)(2), which allows the Superintendent to impose conditions or restrictions on a use or activity, consistent with applicable legislation, to implement management responsibilities. The general regulations for permits in 36 CFR 1.6 do not apply to permits issued for filming, still photography, and audio recording, which instead are governed by the statutory provisions in 54 U.S.C. 100905. The imposition of permit requirements, on a case-by-case basis, for filming, still photography, or audio recording does not require rulemaking under 36 CFR 1.5(b). Requiring a permit with reasonable terms and conditions in accordance with statutory requirements at 54 U.S.C. 100905 is not highly controversial, will not result in a significant alteration in the public use pattern of the System unit, will not adversely affect the System unit’s natural, aesthetic, scenic or cultural values, or require a long-term or significant modification in the resource management objectives of the System unit, because the permit requirement is limited in time and scope to the specific activities authorized by the permit, which contain terms and conditions

Museum and Visitor Center at the Arch and the Historic Old Courthouse:

• Consuming food, including chewing gum, candy, or beverages is prohibited within the Gateway Arch Museum and the Old Courthouse exhibit galleries area, except at times and locations authorized by a Special Use Permit or by specific permission of the Superintendent.

Determination: This restriction is necessary to prevent unacceptable impacts to park resources.

36 CFR § 1.6 – ACTIVITIES THAT REQUIRE A PERMIT

• The following activities are prohibited without a permit. Criteria for approving or denying permits are established by applicable law (statutes and regulations) and policy. Permitted activities are subject to applicable terms and conditions.

  • Specimen collection for research purposes. 36 CFR 2.5

  • Gathering of plants or plant parts by Federally recognized Indian tribes. 36 CFR 2.6

  • Operating a power saw in developed areas. 36 CFR 2.12.

  • Operating a public address system 36 CFR 2.12.

  • Soliciting or demanding gifts, money, goods or services. 36 CFR 2.37.

  • Using, possessing, storing, or transporting explosives; using or possessing fireworks or firecrackers. 36 CFR 2.38.

  • Conducting a special event. 36 CFR 2.50.

  • Conducting a demonstration by groups of more than 25 people. 36 CFR 2.51.

  • Displaying, posting, or distributing commercial notices or advertisements. 36 CFR 5.1.

  • Engaging in or soliciting any business. 36 CFR 5.5.

  • Some filming, still photography, and audio recording (depends upon the facts and circumstances; contact the park for more information). 54 U.S.C. 100905.

  • Constructing or attempting to construct any building, structure, road, trail, path, or utility. 36 CFR 5.7.

  • Rights-of-way. 36 CFR part 14.

36 CFR § 2.1 – PRESERVATION OF NATURAL, CULTURAL, AND ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES

36 CFR 2.1(c)(1)-(2) – Designation of natural products for personal use or consumption.

• The following fruits, nuts, and berries may be gathered by hand for personal use or consumption, in accordance with the noted size, quantity, collection sites, and use or consumption restrictions:

• Nuts, such acorns, when collected from the ground. One quart per person per day.

Determination: Balances personal enjoyment with conservation. Visitors may gather certain natural products only if the Superintendent has designated them and if the activity does not harm park resources. All other collection, commercial use, or removal outside designated areas is prohibited, ensuring the preservation of natural, cultural, and archeological resources within park areas.

36 CFR § 2.2 – WILDLIFE PROTECTION 36 CFR § 2.2 (e) – Viewing of wildlife with artificial light

• The entire park is closed to viewing wildlife by artificial light.

Determination - The purpose of this regulation is to protect park wildlife from poaching activity and the effect of temporarily blinding the animal and potentially jeopardizing its safety.

36 CFR § 2.10 – CAMPING AND FOOD STORAGE36 CFR § 2.10(a) – Camping

• The entire park is closed to camping.

Determination: Camping is not allowed anywhere in the park because there are no designated camping sites. The park is closed at night between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. These rules are intended to minimize the impact of visitors, safeguard the park’s natural environment, and guarantee that everyone has equal access to the park’s resources.

36 CFR § 2.13 – FIRES.36 CFR § 2.13(a)(1) – Fire

• The entire park is closed to lighting or maintaining a fire. Cooking devices used by vendors that are authorized via a Special Use Permit under conditions established by the Superintendent may be permissible.

Determination: There are no designated areas for fires or use of charcoal grills or propane stoves. There are no safe areas to dispose of ashes or hot coals on the grounds.

36 CFR § 2.15 – PETS36 CFR § 2.15 (a)(5) – Pet Excrement

• Pet excrement shall be removed immediately from the park or deposited in a refuse container.

Determination: The Gateway Arch grounds are a highly developed cultural and natural resource within an urban area where concentrations of people gather. This restriction is intended to reduce any possible conflict between users and to provide for a healthy safe environment.

36 CFR § 2.21(a) – SMOKING

Smoking and use of electronic cigarettes (36 CFR 1.5) is prohibited:

• Within all government buildings and facilities

• Within 25 feet of any entrance or exit.

• Within 500 feet of any fuel storage dispensing facility.

Determination: These restrictions are intended to protect the health and safety of park visitors and employees, preserve park resources, reduce the risk of fire and prevent conflicts among visitor use activities.

36 CFR § 2.23 – RECREATION FEES

36 CFR § 2.23 (c) – The collection of recreation fees may be suspended during the following periods:

• National Public Lands Day

• Other dates that may be authorized by the Secretary of Interior or Director of the National Park Service

• As authorized by the Superintendent

Determination: The intent is to ensure continued public access to recreation areas during times when collecting fees might be impractical, unsafe, or contrary to the public good.

36 CFR § 2.35 – ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES and CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

36 CFR § 2.35(a)(3)(i) – Closures to Alcohol

• The consumption of alcoholic beverages or the possession of an open container of an alcoholic beverage is prohibited in the following areas:

• Within all government buildings or facilities, except by authorization by the Superintendent

• Old Cathedral Parking Lot

• Sidewalks and improved (paved) public thoroughfares of the park.

Determination: The combination of moving vehicles with alcohol consumption carries a high risk for serious bodily injury or death to the participants of the activity as well as the nonparticipating public. The proximity of these parking areas to nearby sporting arenas and establishments serving alcohol increases their likelihood of being utilized by the patrons of these events, or as potential ‘tailgating’ opportunities. Prohibition in government buildings is intended to reduce conflict between users and enhance visitors’ safety and enjoyment. The park sponsors no interpretive event where alcohol is considered a contributive component to the visitor understanding of themes and/or educational elements.

36 CFR 2.51 – DEMONSTRATIONS AND DESIGNATED AVAILABLE PARK AREAS

36 CFR 2.51(c)(2) – Designated locations.

• The following locations are designated as available for demonstrations. A permit is not required for a demonstration in designated locations if it involves 25 people or fewer and does not involve structures.

• Refer to Appendix B [Designated First Amendment Map]

Determination: The designated locations are in prominent locations that will allow individuals and groups to conduct demonstrations in a manner that will allow for effective communication of speech and other protected activities.

36 CFR 2.52 – SALE OF PRINTED MATTER AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF PRINTED MATTER AND OTHER MESSAGE-BEARING ITEMS.

• The following locations are designated as available for the sale or distribution of printed matter, and the free distribution of other message-bearing items. A permit is not required for these activities in the designated location if they involve 25 persons or fewer and do not involve structures.

• Refer to Appendix B [Designated First Amendment Map]

Determination: The designated locations are in prominent locations that will allow individuals and groups to conduct demonstrations in a manner that will allow for effective communication of speech and other protected activities.

36 CFR § 4.21 – SPEED LIMITS

36 CFR § 4.21(b) – The following speed limits are established for the routes/roads indicated:

• The maximum speed limit on paved park roads is 15 mph unless otherwise posted.

Determination: Variations from the speed limit designations in the general regulations have been made where road conditions allow either a higher speed without jeopardizing public safety or require a lower speed limit for public safety and to prevent road deterioration.Appendix A

CCTV Use

The National Park Service's use of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) for law enforcement and security purposes will only be to visually monitor public park areas and public activities where no constitutionally protected reasonable expectation of privacy exists. Such CCTV use which will have adequate privacy and First Amendment safeguards - will be to help ensure public safety and security; facilitate the detection, investigation, prevention and deterrence of terrorist attack and crime; help ensure the safety of citizens and officers; help assist in the proper allocation and deployment of law enforcement and public safety resources; help facilitate the protection of the innocent and the apprehension and prosecution of criminals.This policy does not restrict the official use of CCTV in government administrative areas including administrative buildings, jail holding facilities, revenue collection sites, etc., where the government may record/monitor its facilities. For example, the government may perform unrestricted video/audio recording at revenue collection points (entrance stations, visitor center counters, etc.).

 

 

Key for Designated First Amendment Map

 

Old Courthouse

Smith Square

South Grounds

Grand Staircase

North Grounds

North Gateway

Arch Center