Quick answers
What time do the North Texas lots open?
UNT says all lot entrances open at 7 a.m. on game day. The Black Lot entrance off the frontage road opens 4 hours before kickoff; before that, Black Lot pass holders come in through the White/Green Lot entrance by the Athletic Center.
Can you grill at North Texas tailgates?
Yes, per UNT's tailgate partner (linked from UNT Athletics): grills and cookers must be attended at all times, with no fires on the ground or in open fire pits, and a fire extinguisher is recommended.
Can you drink at North Texas tailgates?
If you're 21 or older, with ID on request, per UNT's tailgate partner, which also bans kegs, drinking games and glass. UNT itself says alcohol can't be brought into or out of DATCU Stadium.
Do you need a ticket to tailgate at North Texas?
UNT doesn't post a ticket rule for tailgating. You do need a parking pass for every stall your tailgate uses, and everyone needs a ticket to get into the stadium.
How do you buy parking at North Texas?
Single-game digital passes are sold in advance or at the Blue Lot and Orange Lot entrances on game day, cash or card. The Green, White, Black and Purple Lots are pass only, with no single-game sales.
The game-day timeline
- Game day, 7 a.m.All lot entrances open except the Black Lot's frontage road entrance
- 4 hrs beforeThe Black Lot entrance off the frontage road opens
- 2 hrs beforeADA shuttles start from the Orange and Blue Lots
- 90 min beforeGates open
- 1 hr afterADA shuttles stop running back to the lots
Where to park
The lots ring DATCU Stadium on both sides of I-35E. Buy a pass for every stall you plan to use.
- Single game
- Blue Lot or Orange Lot, in advance or at the entrance, cash or card. Red and Brown also take day-of payment.
- Pass only
- Green, White, Black and Purple Lots. No pre-sale or day-of sales.
- Your space
- One vehicle per space. A tailgate in 2 stalls needs 2 passes, and parking staff check. No saving spaces.
- RV
- Blue Lot by season or single game through the Mean Green Athletic Fund (940-369-7284), or single game in the Orange Lot. RVs can stay in RV stalls until noon the next day.
- Accessible
- ADA parking in the northeast Orange Lot by the bus transfer station and limited spaces in the Blue Lot, first come. ADA shuttles run to Gates 1, 2 and 3.
- Rideshare
- Uber, Lyft and DCTA GoZone in front of the University Gateway Center off North Texas Blvd.
TxDOT has permanently closed the southbound I-35 exit and ramp to N. Texas Blvd. Blue, Orange and Brown Lot fans coming south on I-35 or north on I-35W should check UNT's lot directions first.
The Orange Lot is across I-35E from the stadium. A pedestrian bridge gets you over.
No car? Uber, Lyft and DCTA GoZone drop off and pick up at the University Gateway Center off North Texas Blvd.
The rules
Rules last verified Oct 15, 2026 against meangreensports.com, unttailgate.com and unt.edu.
UNT sets the space rules. The grill, alcohol, tent and generator rules are per UNT's tailgate partner, linked from UNT Athletics.
- Your space
- One vehicle per space, a pass for every stall you use, no saving spots, nothing in drive or fire lanes.
- Grills
- Per UNT's tailgate partner: attended at all times, no ground fires or open fire pits, extinguisher recommended.
- Alcohol
- Per UNT's tailgate partner: 21 and over, ID on request, no kegs, drinking games or glass. None in or out of the stadium (UNT).
- Tents
- Per UNT's tailgate partner: weights, not stakes, on paved lots. On green space, stakes up to 12 inches long and half an inch wide.
- Generators
- Allowed with a spark-arrestor muffler, per UNT's tailgate partner.
- Not allowed
- Vehicles on sidewalks or green space (UNT). Per UNT's tailgate partner, also golf carts without event staff OK and overnight camping.
- Bags at the gate
- Clear tote up to 12 x 12 inches or a 1-gallon clear bag, plus a clutch up to 5.5 x 8.5 inches. Metal detectors at every gate.
- Gates open
- 90 minutes before kickoff. No re-entry, and no outside food or drink except 1 unopened 1-liter water.
Before you go
DATCU Stadium parking (UNT Athletics)DATCU Stadium A to ZThe Hill Tailgating AreaFootball gameday parking map (UNT Athletics)Official pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.
Pack for Denton
What we'd bring.
-
Ultralight Tall-Back Camp Chair
$45
Ships free
-
Dubler Party Cooler
$169.89
Ships free
Drinks on one side, cold food on the other, so one cooler covers the whole spread.
-
Dubler Chill Boards, Set of 2
$38.89
Ships free
More for this lot
-
Scorezit Cornhole Scorekeeper Set$140 · +$15 shipping
Early-season Denton games are hot, and late-season ones can turn windy and cold. Bring shade, water and a layer.
Where the party is
North Texas built DATCU Stadium with tailgating in mind and set aside The Hill, a tree-dotted rise on the old Eagle Point golf course just outside the east entrance. Tents line the walkway up the slope, and a restroom on the east concourse opens to the tailgate before the gates do.
The main hill
The Hill
The official tailgating area for students, fans and alumni, just outside the stadium's east entrance and north of the Victory Hall lot, with a walkway from North Texas Blvd.
The south slope
Eagle Point Tailgating Area
Marked on UNT's gameday parking map just south of The Hill, east of the stadium.
What to eat
Per UNT's tailgate partner, grills are fine as long as someone's watching them, and the lots open early enough for a slow cook.
Getting out
I-35E splits the lots, and every one of them empties at once. Your options, best first:
- Walk to rideshare at the Gateway Center. That's the official pick-up spot, off North Texas Blvd, away from the lot exits.
- Take the ADA shuttle if you need it. It runs back to the Orange and Blue Lots for 1 hour after the game.
- Hang on The Hill a while. Let the lots drain, then cross the bridge to the Orange Lot.
Skip this
Hit I-35E with everybody else. Bring patience and a full playlist.
First time here?
- Lot entrances open at 7 a.m. on game day.
- One pass for every stall your tailgate uses.
- The Hill is the official tailgating area.
- Attend your grill, no ground fires (partner rules).
- No glass or kegs, 21 and over with ID (partner rules).
- Clear bag only. Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff.
Visiting? How to join a tailgate
Walk The Hill in your colors with something to share and say hello before you step into a setup.
Free · one page · works offline
Your DATCU Stadium game-day sheet, by email
One page for the lot: where to park, when it opens, what you can bring.
We don't sell your email.
