NM State Aggies · College · Conference USA

Tailgating at Aggie Memorial Stadium

Lots open
9 a.m. (11 for late games)
Grills
Yes · propane or electric
Alcohol
21+ · cans or plastic only

Checked Oct 15, 2026

Aerial view of Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, with the crimson end zones and the open desert around the bowl
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, cropped

NM State tailgates within sight of the mountains, and the soundtrack is cowbells. At the 2018 opener a travel blogger watched the team walk roll right through the tailgate spots behind the band, the cheerleaders and Pistol Pete, with a rainbow over the mountains. At the 2023 opener thousands tailgated outside, a former Aggie among them with three generations of family along. Students set up their grills and music at Sisbarro Park and families at the Kid Zone.

The lot answer

NM State's public tailgate lots are first come: Lot 29 north of the Pan American Center, Lot 30, the Family and RV Tailgate Lot, and Lot 105 north of the Tennis Center. The Aggie Athletic Club and other pass lots ring the stadium, and RVs can pre-position in Lot 30 from 11 a.m. the Friday before.

Get the Pregame for the Aggies. Your lot, your game and what to cook, every week. Free.Get the Pregame for the Aggies

for 5 p.m. or later kickoffs
11 a.m.
for earlier kickoffs
9 a.m.
Get the Pregame for the AggiesEmail me Or get the one-page game-day sheet
Rules checked Oct 15, 2026
Sources

Rules last verified Oct 15, 2026 against police.nmsu.edu and nmstatesports.com.

Add a tip
Something changed?

Can't miss

  1. Green chile country Hatch, the chile capital, is a half-hour up the road, and in the fall roasters turn on all over Las Cruces. Buy some roasted.
  2. Organ Mountains view The jagged peaks east of town are the view from the lots.

Quick answers

What time does NM State tailgating open?

For games that start at 5 p.m. or later, tailgating runs from 11 a.m.; for earlier starts it begins at 9 a.m. It stops for the game and runs again for 2 hours after it, or until midnight, whichever is sooner.

Can you grill at NM State tailgates?

Yes. Electric and propane or butane grills are allowed unless posted otherwise, and you need a fire extinguisher or a bucket of water on hand. Charcoal is strongly discouraged, and grills stay 4 feet from anything that can burn.

Can you drink at NM State tailgates?

Fans 21 and over can drink in the designated tailgate areas during tailgate hours, in cans or plastic only. No glass, kegs, party balls or containers over 1 gallon, no alcohol during the game, and the north end of Lot 30 is alcohol-free.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate at NM State?

NMSU doesn't post a ticket rule for the public lots. Lots 29, 30 and 105 are open to the general public, first come, first served.

How do you buy parking at NM State?

NMSU lists Lots 29, 30 and 105 as general public tailgate lots, first come, first served. Lots 33, 38, 39, 40, 83, 86, 87 and 88 need the right parking credential.

The game-day timeline

  1. Friday 11 a.m.RVs can pre-position in Lot 30
  2. Friday 6 p.m.RVs in Lot 30 can be occupied, and alcohol is allowed there until 10 p.m.
  3. 9 a.m. or 11 a.m.Tailgating opens (11 a.m. for kickoffs at 5 p.m. or later)
  4. 5 hrs beforeStudent Tailgate Field spaces at Sisbarro Park can be claimed
  5. 3 hrs beforeStudent Tailgate Field opens. No more vehicles in the Sisbarro Loop
  6. 90 min beforeGates open
  7. 30 min beforeStudent Tailgate Field closes until after the game
  8. 2 hrs afterTailgating ends (or midnight, whichever is sooner)
  9. Next day 10 a.m.All vehicles out of NMSU lots

Where to park

Three lots are open to the general public. The rest around the stadium are pass lots.

Public lots
Lot 29 (north of the Pan American Center), Lot 30 (the Family and RV Tailgate Lot) and Lot 105 (north of the Tennis Center). First come, first served.
Pass lots
Lots 33 and 38 (Aggie Athletic Club), 39 (softball), 40 (baseball), 83 and 86 (east of the former Greek Complex), 87 and 88 (Fulton). Credentials required.
Your space
Your vehicle's space plus 1 stall along the passenger side. 1 stall with no vehicle, 6 max for an oversized RV.
RV
Lot 30. Pre-position from 11 a.m. the Friday before a game and stay in the RV from 6 p.m. that Friday.
Leaving
All vehicles, pass holders too, must be out of NMSU lots by 10 a.m. the day after the game.
Aggie Memorial Stadium game-day tailgate lots at NM State, simplified
Aggie Memorial Stadium game-day tailgate lots at NM State, simplified
 See the official Aggie Memorial Stadium parking map

Tailgating isn't allowed in any other campus lot or on the streets around campus, so a public lot is the move if you're setting up.
Don't block handicapped spaces, driving lanes or emergency access, and don't save the spaces next to you.
No car? NMSU doesn't post a game-day shuttle or rideshare zone for football.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 15, 2026 against police.nmsu.edu and nmstatesports.com.

NMSU spells its rules out in a 6-page document. These are the ones that change your setup.

Grills
Electric and propane or butane. Fire extinguisher or a bucket of water on hand. Charcoal strongly discouraged; coals go in metal cans. 4 feet from anything flammable.
Alcohol
21 and over, cans or plastic only. No kegs, party balls or containers over 1 gallon. Students' area is beer and wine only.
Not allowed
Glass, drinking games and funnels, pools, hot tubs, and live bands or amplified sound without approval.
Tents
No stakes anywhere on campus without written permission. Use sandbags, water jugs or tie to your vehicle.
Generators
Only quiet electric or battery generators and inverters that give off no fumes.
During the game
No tailgating and no drinking at the tailgate. 1 person may stay to watch the gear.
When it ends
2 hours after the game or midnight, whichever is sooner.
Bags at the gate
Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon clear bag, plus a clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches. Metal detectors at all gates.
Gates open
90 minutes before kickoff. Concessions are cashless.
Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

NMSU 2026/2027 Tailgating RegulationsNM State football Know Before You Go, Week 1 2026NMSU Police event informationNMSU campus parking map

Official pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.

Pack for Las Cruces

What we'd bring.

More for this lot

  • Monument G22 Tabletop Gas Grill, 2 Burners$199 · Ships free

  • Daylodge AirHaven 30 Inflatable Vehicle Awning, 30 sq ft$799 · Ships free

Early season in Las Cruces runs hot and dry, and desert nights cool off fast. Bring shade, water and a layer.

Shipping and returns

Get the Pregame for the Aggies. Your lot, your game and what to cook, every week. Free.Get the Pregame for the Aggies

Where the party is

Las Cruces tailgates on the east edge of campus with I-25 humming past, and the big Lot 30 is built for RVs that roll in the night before. The rules are long but simple: cans and plastic, propane or electric heat, and a hard stop when the game starts.

The RV lot

Lot 30

The Family and RV Tailgate Lot east of Arrowhead Drive. RVs can set up from Friday, and the north section is alcohol-free for families.

The student side

Student Tailgate Field

In Sisbarro Community Park, east of the stadium, for NMSU students and recognized student groups. Spaces up to 20 x 20 feet, first come, from 5 hours before kickoff.

The walk-in lot

Lot 29

The public lot north of the Pan American Center.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Propane and electric are the easy calls here, since charcoal is strongly discouraged and the coals need a metal can.

Getting out

The lots empty onto a handful of campus roads and I-25. Your options, best first:

  1. Stay and tailgate. You get 2 hours after the game, or until midnight, to let the roads clear.
  2. Watch the fireworks first. NM State runs postgame fireworks about 5 minutes after the final whistle, visible from the stadium.
  3. Leave on the final whistle. Every car in Lot 30 is pointed at the same exit you are.

First time here?

  • Tailgating opens at 11 a.m. for 5 p.m. or later kickoffs, 9 a.m. for earlier ones.
  • Public lots: 29, 30 and 105. First come, first served.
  • Cans and plastic only. No glass, no kegs.
  • No tent stakes. Bring weights.
  • Lot 30's north end is alcohol-free.
  • Clear bag only. Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Park in a public lot, walk the rows in your colors with something to share, and say hello before you step into a setup.

Free · one page · works offline

Your Aggie Memorial Stadium game-day sheet, by email

One page for the lot: where to park, when it opens, what you can bring.

Or download it now

We don't sell your email.

More College stadium guides

All guides

Read next from The Lot

All stories