Can't miss
- Bear Down It's painted on the gym roof and said everywhere, the last words of quarterback John "Button" Salmon, who died after a 1926 car crash.
- "A" Mountain The big A on Sentinel Peak looks down on campus. You'll see it from the Mall.
Quick answers
What time does Arizona tailgating open?
The tailgating grounds open 6 hours before kickoff, and the entrance closes 3 hours before. Everything stops at kickoff, and the grounds must be cleared within an hour after the game.
Can you grill at Arizona tailgates?
Yes, with gas. Gas grills are allowed on the tailgating grounds and in RV parking; charcoal grills and wood fires aren't. Generators have to be electric, fume-free and silent.
Can you drink at Arizona tailgates?
Bring your own beer and wine only, no hard liquor, no kegs or common sources like beer bongs. Drinking is allowed from 6 hours before kickoff until kickoff, and never outside the marked grounds or in the stadium.
Do you need a ticket to tailgate at Arizona?
You need a tailgate pass for the UA Mall grounds, and 2026 passes are sold out. Lot 4052 sells tailgate permits at the entrance when space allows. The Bear Down Bash on Bear Down Field is free for every fan.
How do you buy parking at Arizona?
Campus garages and surface lots sell game-day parking by credit card or tap only, and Wildcat Club members get assigned lots. Cars with 4 or more people park free at the Tyndall, Park Avenue and Highland garages.
The game-day timeline
- 8 hrs beforeGame-day lot restrictions begin; RV parking opens
- 6 hrs beforeTailgating grounds open, and drinking can start
- 5 hrs beforeTicket windows open
- 3.5 hrs beforeBear Down Bash opens on Bear Down Field
- 3 hrs beforeTailgate grounds entrance closes
- 2.5 hrs beforeWildcat Walk: team arrives at Cherry and University
- 2 hrs beforeCat Tran shuttle starts from Park Avenue Garage
- 90 min beforeStadium gates open
- KickoffTailgating and drinking stop
- 1 hr afterGrounds cleared; last Cat Tran
Where to park
The Mall tailgate takes a pass, and 2026 passes are gone. Here's how everyone else parks.
- Lot 4052
- The one surface lot where tailgating is allowed, by game or season permit. Game permits are sold at the entrance as space allows.
- Garages
- Game-day fees by credit card or tap only. No tailgating in any garage.
- Carpool
- Free with 4 or more people in the car at the Tyndall, Park Avenue and Highland garages. Everyone has to be in the car at entry.
- RV
- PTS RV spaces run about five parking spaces wide and 30 to 40 feet long. They open 8 hours before kickoff, with no overnight parking.
- Wildcat Club
- Assigned lots by giving level, including West and East Stadium, Enke Drive, East McKale and the South 6th and North 2nd lots.
- Accessible
- Levels 1 and 2 of Cherry Avenue Garage, beside the stadium, with a state disabled plate or placard.
Tailgate pass holders enter southbound on Cherry Avenue from Speedway and get scanned at Cherry and University.
In heavy rain, lawn parking can be shut and tailgating canceled, with no refunds.
No car? Cat Tran runs free from Park Avenue Garage to the south side of the stadium, outside Gate 7 on 6th Street, from 2 hours before kickoff, then again after the third quarter until an hour after the game. The Sun Link streetcar also serves campus.
The rules
Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against arizonawildcats.com and parking.arizona.edu.
Arizona's tailgate rules are tight on time and fuel. These are the ones that matter.
- Grills
- Gas only. No charcoal grills or wood fires on the grounds or in RV parking.
- Alcohol
- Your own beer and wine, no hard liquor, kegs or beer bongs. From 6 hours before kickoff until kickoff, inside the grounds only.
- Your space
- About 17 x 30 feet for a car under 30 feet, 18 x 45 for bigger rigs. No slide-outs, and keep the center fire lane clear.
- Tents
- Set up by the pass holder after the grounds open. No early setups, and delivery trucks drop off outside the grounds.
- Generators
- Electric only, and they have to be fume-free and silent. No gas generators.
- Not allowed
- Open containers on streets or sidewalks, vulgar or offensive audio, and tailgating in garages or other lots.
- When it ends
- Everything stops at kickoff. The grounds must be cleared within 1 hour after the game.
- Bags at the gate
- Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a small clutch about the size of a hand.
- Gates open
- 90 minutes before kickoff.
Before you go
Arizona football tailgatingUA special and athletic event parkingArizona fan guideBear Down BashOfficial pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.
Pack for Tucson
What we'd bring.
-
Ultralight Tall-Back Camp Chair
$45
Ships free
-
ACA Arizona Vintage Gameday Cornhole Boards
$298
Arizona game-day board, regulation build. The Mall lawn has room to play between cars.
More for this lot
-
Monument G22 Tabletop Gas Grill, 2 Burners$199 · Ships free
-
ExtremeMist Pro Misting Fan, 270 PSI, Solar Rechargeable, with 16 ft Mist Line$349 · +$20 shipping
Early-season Tucson is hot, so bring shade and water. By November the evenings cool off.
Where the party is
Tucson's tailgate is a lawn in the middle of campus. Pass holders line the UA Mall car by car, and 2.5 hours before kickoff the team gets dropped at Cherry and University and walks through the tailgate.
The main event
The UA Mall
Pass holders park side by side in arrival order: over-30-foot rigs on the center Mall, smaller cars on the McKale and Gittings lawns.
The open door
The Bear Down Bash
Free on Bear Down Field just north of the stadium, from 3.5 hours before kickoff until 30 minutes out, with music, games, food trucks, a bar and a pep rally.
The moment
The Wildcat Walk
The team arrives at Cherry Avenue and University Boulevard 2.5 hours before kickoff and walks through the tailgate to the stadium with the Pride of Arizona.
What to eat
Gas grills only on the Mall, so the cook here runs on propane. The Bear Down Bash has food trucks for anyone without a pass.
Getting out
Tucson's campus garages empty slowly after the game. Your options, best first:
- Ride Cat Tran back. It loads south of the stadium outside Gate 7 on 6th Street and runs until an hour after the game. Buses leave when full.
- Pack up on the Mall. You have an hour after the game to clear the grounds. Use it and let the streets thin.
- Take the streetcar. Sun Link serves campus, so park along the line and ride in and out.
Skip this
Rush the garage at the final whistle. Every other car on campus has the same idea.
First time here?
- The Mall is pass-only, and 2026 passes are sold out. Start at the Bear Down Bash.
- Gas grills only, no charcoal.
- Your own beer and wine only, no liquor, and nothing after kickoff.
- Four or more in the car? Park free at the Tyndall, Park Avenue or Highland garage.
- Line Cherry and University for the Wildcat Walk, 2.5 hours before kickoff.
- Clear bag only: 12 x 6 x 12 inches or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a small clutch.
Visiting? How to join a tailgate
The Bear Down Bash is free for every fan, so it's the easy first stop. The Mall is pass-only and the pass holder answers for guests, so wait for an invite before you walk into a setup.
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