diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f4e383979..f4cfc8899 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 * [#2782](https://github.com/ruby-grape/grape/pull/2782): Remove the dead `format` keyword from `Grape::Router::Pattern` - [@ericproulx](https://github.com/ericproulx).
 * [#2783](https://github.com/ruby-grape/grape/pull/2783): Read a route's `version`, `anchor` and `requirements` from its pattern instead of storing them again on the route - [@ericproulx](https://github.com/ericproulx).
 * [#2784](https://github.com/ruby-grape/grape/pull/2784): Move HEAD route creation into `Grape::Router::Route#to_head` - [@ericproulx](https://github.com/ericproulx).
+* [#2785](https://github.com/ruby-grape/grape/pull/2785): Make route `params` a first-class endpoint input and split `Grape::Router::Route#params` into `#params` (declared definitions) and `#params_for(input)` (extracted values) - [@ericproulx](https://github.com/ericproulx).
 * Your contribution here.
 
 #### Fixes
diff --git a/UPGRADING.md b/UPGRADING.md
index 9e0a070c8..c323388a5 100644
--- a/UPGRADING.md
+++ b/UPGRADING.md
@@ -60,6 +60,21 @@ The `:format` member was removed from the endpoint's internal `Options`. Nothing
 
 `Grape::Router::Pattern#initialize` no longer accepts `format:` either. It was never given a non-`nil` value — a route's `:format` capture comes from the path suffix built by `Grape::Path`, not from the pattern — so the keyword was dead. `Grape::Router::Pattern.new(..., format: …)` now raises `unknown keyword: :format`.
 
+#### `Grape::Router::Route#params` no longer takes an argument
+
+`Route#params` used to do two jobs depending on its argument: `route.params(input)` extracted param values from a matched request path, while `route.params` (no argument) returned the route's declared param definitions. These are now separate methods:
+
+```ruby
+route.params            # declared param definitions, keyed by name (unchanged)
+route.params_for(input) # values extracted from a matched path (was route.params(input))
+```
+
+The no-argument form is unchanged — grape-swagger and other documentation consumers keep using `route.params`. Only the value-extraction form moved, and it is internal to the router; if you called `route.params(input)` directly, switch to `route.params_for(input)`.
+
+#### `params` is a first-class endpoint input, no longer in `route.options`
+
+A route's declared params were previously carried inside the `route_options` bag and reachable as `route.options[:params]`. They are now composed into their own endpoint input (`Grape::Endpoint::Options` gains a `:params` member and `Grape::Endpoint.new` a `params:` keyword) and exposed only through `route.params`. `route.options[:params]` now returns `nil`. Nothing in Grape or grape-swagger read it that way — grape-swagger uses the `route.params` method — so this only affects code that reached into the options Hash for params directly.
+
 ### Upgrading to >= 3.3
 
 #### Minimum required Ruby is now 3.3
diff --git a/lib/grape/dsl/declared.rb b/lib/grape/dsl/declared.rb
index 8dbdd7f2b..907dcf90f 100644
--- a/lib/grape/dsl/declared.rb
+++ b/lib/grape/dsl/declared.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def declared(passed_params, include_parent_namespaces: true, include_missing: tr
         handler = DeclaredParamsHandler.new(include_missing:, evaluate_given:, stringify:, contract_key_map:)
         declared_params = include_parent_namespaces ? inheritable_setting.route[:declared_params] : (inheritable_setting.namespace_stackable[:declared_params].last || [])
         renamed_params = inheritable_setting.route[:renamed_params] || {}
-        route_params = options.dig(:route_options, :params) || {} # options = endpoint's option
+        route_params = config.params
 
         handler.call(passed_params, declared_params, route_params, renamed_params)
       end
diff --git a/lib/grape/dsl/routing.rb b/lib/grape/dsl/routing.rb
index 4b34b8290..ff5a14482 100644
--- a/lib/grape/dsl/routing.rb
+++ b/lib/grape/dsl/routing.rb
@@ -179,10 +179,12 @@ def mount(mounts, *opts)
       #   end
       def route(methods, paths = ['/'], route_options = {}, &)
         http_methods = methods == :any ? '*' : methods
-        endpoint_params = inheritable_setting.namespace_stackable_with_hash(:params) || {}
-        endpoint_description = inheritable_setting.route[:description]
-        all_route_options = { params: endpoint_params }
-        all_route_options.deep_merge!(endpoint_description) if endpoint_description
+        endpoint_description = inheritable_setting.route[:description] || {}
+
+        # +params+ travels as its own endpoint input; the route-options bag keeps
+        # the description's other keys (+success+, +tags+, …) plus explicit options.
+        params = prepare_params(endpoint_description[:params])
+        all_route_options = endpoint_description.except(:params)
         all_route_options.deep_merge!(route_options) if route_options.present?
 
         new_endpoint = Grape::Endpoint.new(
@@ -190,6 +192,7 @@ def route(methods, paths = ['/'], route_options = {}, &)
           http_methods:,
           path: paths,
           api: self,
+          params:,
           route_options: all_route_options,
           &
         )
@@ -259,6 +262,15 @@ def versions
 
       private
 
+      # Compose a route's params: the declared params (+params do … end+) deep-merged
+      # with any documented alongside +desc ..., params:+ (+description_params+).
+      def prepare_params(description_params)
+        endpoint_params = inheritable_setting.namespace_stackable_with_hash(:params) || {}
+        return endpoint_params if description_params.blank?
+
+        endpoint_params.deep_merge(description_params)
+      end
+
       # Remove all defined routes.
       def reset_routes!
         endpoints.each(&:reset_routes!)
diff --git a/lib/grape/endpoint.rb b/lib/grape/endpoint.rb
index 482378ae6..2e2fe7c72 100644
--- a/lib/grape/endpoint.rb
+++ b/lib/grape/endpoint.rb
@@ -54,13 +54,15 @@ def block_to_unbound_method(block)
     #   {#api}.
     # @param app [#call, nil] the Rack app or Grape API mounted at this
     #   endpoint; +nil+ for a plain block endpoint. Exposed as {#mounted_app}.
+    # @param params [Hash] the declared params for this endpoint, keyed by name.
+    #   Kept out of +route_options+ and read via +config.params+.
     # @param options [Hash] attributes of this endpoint, normalized into a
     #   +Grape::Endpoint::Options+ value object.
     # @option options route_options [Hash]
     # @note This happens at the time of API definition, so in this context the
     # endpoint does not know if it will be mounted under a different endpoint.
     # @yield a block defining what your API should do when this endpoint is hit
-    def initialize(new_settings, http_methods:, path:, api:, app: nil, **options, &block)
+    def initialize(new_settings, http_methods:, path:, api:, app: nil, params: {}, **options, &block)
       self.inheritable_setting = new_settings.point_in_time_copy
 
       # now +namespace_stackable(:declared_params)+ contains all params defined for
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ def initialize(new_settings, http_methods:, path:, api:, app: nil, **options, &b
       inheritable_setting.namespace_inheritable[:default_error_status] ||= 500
 
       @options = options
-      @config = Options.new(http_methods:, path:, api:, app:, **options)
+      @config = Options.new(http_methods:, path:, api:, app:, params:, **options)
       # +:app+ is still surfaced on the public options Hash for backwards
       # compatibility (e.g. grape-swagger); prefer the +mounted_app+ reader.
       @options[:app] = app if app
@@ -282,6 +284,7 @@ def compile!
 
     def to_routes
       route_options = config.route_options
+      params = config.params
       path_settings = prepare_default_path_settings
       forward_match = config.app && !config.app.respond_to?(:inheritable_setting)
       version = prepare_version(inheritable_setting.namespace_inheritable[:version])
@@ -297,11 +300,11 @@ def to_routes
             origin: prepared_path.origin,
             suffix: prepared_path.suffix,
             anchor:,
-            params: route_options[:params],
+            params:,
             version:,
             requirements:
           )
-          Grape::Router::Route.new(self, method, pattern, route_options, forward_match:, namespace:, prefix:, settings:)
+          Grape::Router::Route.new(self, method, pattern, route_options, forward_match:, params:, namespace:, prefix:, settings:)
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/grape/endpoint/options.rb b/lib/grape/endpoint/options.rb
index b4201f02b..7d1ee58c4 100644
--- a/lib/grape/endpoint/options.rb
+++ b/lib/grape/endpoint/options.rb
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ class Endpoint
     # +Grape::Endpoint.new+. Internal to {Grape::Endpoint}, which builds it
     # from the +**options+ Hash in #initialize so the public +options+ reader
     # stays a plain Hash for downstream gems (e.g. grape-swagger).
-    Options = Data.define(:path, :http_methods, :api, :route_options, :app) do
-      def initialize(path:, http_methods:, api:, route_options: {}, app: nil)
+    Options = Data.define(:path, :http_methods, :api, :route_options, :app, :params) do
+      def initialize(path:, http_methods:, api:, route_options: {}, app: nil, params: {})
         path = Array(path)
         path << '/' if path.empty?
         http_methods = Array(http_methods)
diff --git a/lib/grape/router.rb b/lib/grape/router.rb
index baa0a1da3..9f51f22f1 100644
--- a/lib/grape/router.rb
+++ b/lib/grape/router.rb
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ def halt?(response)
     end
 
     def process_route(route, input, env, include_allow_header: false)
-      route_params = route.params(input)
+      route_params = route.params_for(input)
       env[Grape::Env::GRAPE_ROUTING_ARGS] ||= { route_info: route }
       env[Grape::Env::GRAPE_ROUTING_ARGS].merge!(route_params) if route_params.present?
       env[Grape::Env::GRAPE_ALLOWED_METHODS] = route.allow_header if include_allow_header
diff --git a/lib/grape/router/route.rb b/lib/grape/router/route.rb
index e2ca0c7e1..7afa40bc1 100644
--- a/lib/grape/router/route.rb
+++ b/lib/grape/router/route.rb
@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@ class Route < BaseRoute
 
       def_delegators :@app, :call
 
-      def initialize(endpoint, method, pattern, options, forward_match:, **route_attributes)
+      def initialize(endpoint, method, pattern, options, forward_match:, params: {}, **route_attributes)
         super(pattern, options, **route_attributes)
         @app = endpoint
         @request_method = upcase_method(method)
         @match_function = forward_match ? FORWARD_MATCH_METHOD : NON_FORWARD_MATCH_METHOD
+        @declared_params = params
       end
 
       def to_head
@@ -36,9 +37,15 @@ def match?(input)
         @match_function.call(input, pattern)
       end
 
-      def params(input = nil)
-        return params_without_input if input.blank?
+      # The route's declared params keyed by name — path captures plus any
+      # declared body/query params, as their definitions. Used for documentation
+      # (e.g. grape-swagger), not for extracting request values.
+      def params
+        @params ||= pattern.captures_default.merge(@declared_params)
+      end
 
+      # Extract param values from a matched request path. Used by the router.
+      def params_for(input)
         parsed = pattern.params(input)
         return unless parsed
 
@@ -53,10 +60,6 @@ def convert_to_head_request!
 
       private
 
-      def params_without_input
-        @params_without_input ||= pattern.captures_default.merge(options[:params])
-      end
-
       def upcase_method(method)
         method_s = method.to_s
         Grape::HTTP_SUPPORTED_METHODS.detect { |m| m.casecmp(method_s).zero? } || method_s.upcase
diff --git a/spec/grape/dsl/routing_spec.rb b/spec/grape/dsl/routing_spec.rb
index 05d27398f..50ecb1b7e 100644
--- a/spec/grape/dsl/routing_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/grape/dsl/routing_spec.rb
@@ -158,7 +158,8 @@ class << self
         expect(endpoint_options[:http_methods]).to eq :get
         expect(endpoint_options[:path]).to eq '/foo'
         expect(endpoint_options[:api]).to eq subject
-        expect(endpoint_options[:route_options]).to eq(foo: 'bar', fiz: 'baz', params: { nuz: 'naz' })
+        expect(endpoint_options[:params]).to eq(nuz: 'naz')
+        expect(endpoint_options[:route_options]).to eq(foo: 'bar', fiz: 'baz')
       end.and_yield
 
       subject.route(:get, '/foo', { foo: 'bar' }, &proc {})
diff --git a/spec/grape/router/route_spec.rb b/spec/grape/router/route_spec.rb
index b032a7da3..1ee892806 100644
--- a/spec/grape/router/route_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/grape/router/route_spec.rb
@@ -64,6 +64,42 @@
     end
   end
 
+  describe 'params' do
+    let(:pattern) do
+      Grape::Router::Pattern.new(origin: '/users/:id', suffix: '', anchor: true,
+                                 params: { 'id' => { type: 'Integer' } }, version: nil, requirements: {})
+    end
+
+    describe '#params (declared definitions, no input)' do
+      subject(:route) do
+        described_class.new(endpoint, :get, pattern, options, forward_match: false,
+                                                              params: { 'id' => { required: true, type: 'Integer' } })
+      end
+
+      it 'merges the declared definitions over the path capture defaults' do
+        expect(route.params).to eq('id' => { required: true, type: 'Integer' })
+      end
+
+      it 'reads the params keyword, not the options Hash' do
+        route = described_class.new(endpoint, :get, pattern, { params: { 'ignored' => {} } },
+                                    forward_match: false, params: { 'id' => { required: true } })
+        expect(route.params).to eq('id' => { required: true })
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe '#params_for (extracted values, with input)' do
+      subject(:route) { described_class.new(endpoint, :get, pattern, options, forward_match: false) }
+
+      it 'extracts param values from a matched input path' do
+        expect(route.params_for('/users/7')).to eq(id: '7')
+      end
+
+      it 'returns nil when the input does not match' do
+        expect(route.params_for('/nope')).to be_nil
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   describe '#match?' do
     subject { instance.match?(input) }