Colorado State Tailgating at Canvas Stadium: Lots & Rules

Can't miss

CSU's A on the foothills CSU's white A sits on the foothills west of town, and you can see it from the stadium.

Quick answers

What time do the Colorado State lots open?

CSU's 2026 game day page says parking lots and tailgating open 6 hours before kickoff. Ram Town and the Ram Walk Tailgate open 4 hours before kickoff.

Can you grill at Colorado State tailgates?

Yes, propane only. CSU policy bans charcoal grills, bonfires, campfires and open flames at every tailgate, and grills can't sit in drive lanes or other spaces.

Can you drink at Colorado State tailgates?

Fans 21 and over can drink in the designated tailgate lots and programmed areas, with ID check stands handing out wristbands. Nothing over 15% ABV, no glass, no kegs and no drinking games, and open containers can't leave the tailgate areas. Alcohol-free lots are also provided.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate at Colorado State?

CSU doesn't post a ticket rule for the lots, but you need a parking pass for the space, and Ram Town is free and open to all fans. Everyone needs a ticket for Canvas Stadium, with no re-entry.

How do you buy parking at Colorado State?

Season and single-game passes are sold online in advance through CSU Athletics, and parking is digital. On game day, CSU sells parking in the Moby Arena lot (195) and the lot 577 garage.

The game-day timeline

Night before, 7 p.m.Pep rally in Old Town with the band and spirit squads
Night before, 5:30 p.m.Overnight RV parking opens in the Moby Arena lot (registration required)
6 hrs beforeParking lots and tailgating open
4 hrs beforeRam Town and the free Ram Walk Tailgate open
2.5 hrs beforeThe Ram Walk on Meridian Ave
90 min beforeCanvas Stadium gates open
48 min beforeMarch to Victory parade on Meridian Ave
30 min beforeTailgating ends. Pregame show starts

Where to park

Most campus lots are season passes. Single-game passes go online first, and two lots sell on game day.

Day of game: Moby Arena lot (195) off Shields St, and the lot 577 garage near College Ave.
Advance passes: Season and single-game passes on CSU Athletics' site. Parking is digital, one car per space.
RV: Lots 195, 310 and 425 take RVs, buying a pass for every space used. Overnight is lot 195 only, from 5:30 p.m. the night before.
Accessible: Lot 575 on Lake St, off College Ave, with a state hang tag and a free shuttle to the stadium's southeast and northwest corners.
No tailgating: Lot 570 on the CSU map, south of Lake St, is parking only.
Rideshare: Drop-off on Pitkin St at the Newton's Corner turnabout, off College Ave.

Canvas Stadium game-day parking and Ram Town at Colorado State, simplified

See the official Canvas Stadium parking map

Don't save spaces. CSU policy says to park together, you have to arrive together.
Neighborhood parking near campus is prohibited, and many streets are in the city's permit program on game days.
No pass? Transfort says its buses are free on CSU home football game days, with a shuttle from the paid lot on Lake St at Mason St. Bikes are welcome on campus, but not parked around the stadium.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 15, 2026 against csurams.com, colostate.edu and ridetransfort.com.

CSU writes its tailgate rules into university policy. These are the ones that change your setup.

Grills: Propane only. No charcoal, bonfires, campfires or open flames.
Alcohol: 21 and over, in designated tailgate lots and programmed areas only, 15% ABV max, in cans or plastic.
Not allowed: Glass, kegs, drinking games, sales of food or drink, ATVs and golf carts.
Tents: Up to 10 x 10 feet, held down with weights. No stakes, and nothing chained to trees or signs.
Your space: Stay inside your parking space. Nothing in drive lanes, emergency lanes or the next space.
Generators: Quiet units only. Motor homes need an exhaust extension to run one.
When it ends: All tailgating ends 30 minutes before kickoff. Stow your gear in the car before you go in.
Bags at the gate: Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches. Metal detectors at every gate.
Gates open: 90 minutes before kickoff. No re-entry.

Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

Colorado State football game day (2026)CSU policy: Tailgating and Game Day Activities Canvas Stadium A to Z CSU game day parking and tailgating map Transfort game day service

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

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What we'd bring.

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55 qt Hard Cooler, 60 Cans
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One cooler for the whole crew parked at the car: about 60 cans on ice.

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Shipping and returns

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Where the party is

CSU tailgates in its own lots across a big flat campus, and the center of it is Ram Town at Meridian and Hughes Way. It's free, there's a live band every home game, and the team walks right past it on the way in.

The hub

Ram Town

CSU's tailgate hub on the corner of Meridian Ave and Hughes Way, home to the reserved tailgates and the free Ram Walk Tailgate, with live music and beer, water and soda for sale. Opens 4 hours before kickoff.

The moment

The Ram Walk

Band, spirit squad and the team on Meridian Ave, 2 and a half hours before kickoff, then the March to Victory parade 48 minutes out.

The RV row

Moby Arena lot (195)

Day-of-game parking plus RVs, and the only lot where RVs can stay overnight.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Propane is the only grill fuel CSU allows, and food and drink are for your own crew, not for sale. Ram Town sells food and drinks if you'd rather travel light.

Getting out

Every lot empties onto the same few streets around campus. Your options, best first:

Ride Transfort back. Shuttles run back to the Lake St lot until departing fans are cleared, about 1 hour after the game.
Take the accessible shuttle. It runs between lot 575 and the stadium's southeast and northwest corners.
Follow the officers and signs. CSU's traffic flow sends cars out by lot. Read your lot's exit instructions before game day.
Skip this
Cut through a neighborhood. Most are permit-only on game days, and the city tickets.

First time here?

Lots open 6 hours before kickoff. Tailgating ends 30 minutes out.
Propane grill only. No charcoal, no open flames.
Nothing over 15% ABV, no glass, no kegs.
Get a wristband at an ID check stand if you're drinking.
Ram Town is free and opens 4 hours before kickoff.
Clear bag only. Gates open 90 minutes out, no re-entry.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Ram Town is free and open to all fans, so it's the easy first stop. Walk the lots in your colors, bring something to share and say hello before you step into a setup.

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