BYU Cougars · College · Big 12

Tailgating at LaVell Edwards Stadium

Lots open
8 a.m. (tailgate lot)
Grills
Propane or pellet only
Alcohol
None anywhere on campus

Checked Oct 14, 2026

Full stands at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, with the Wasatch Mountains behind
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped

Nobody comes to Provo for the parking lot: the campus is dry, the main tailgate lot sits nearly empty until late morning, and even the local paper calls the scene sparse. The real pregame is Cougar Canyon, the street west of the stadium: brisket and J Dawgs off the trucks, a band, no ticket needed and room for kids, and the team walks right through it. West Virginia fans came home in 2025 saying strangers had thanked them for coming and the band had played their fight song; a lone Utah fan at the 2026 GameDay was booed throughout. Hike the Y that morning and you'll see the stadium from above before you see it from inside.

The lot answer

Lot 18, south of the IT Building, is BYU's first-come tailgate lot, and RVs and camp trailers are welcome there; regulars say take a lap, since they wish more people would join. Most of the lots right by the stadium are held for Cougar Club pass holders, and the public lots across campus open 4 hours before kickoff.

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clutch only, 5 x 8 x 1 inches
No bags
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Rules checked Oct 14, 2026
Sources

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against tickets.byu.edu and byucougars.com.

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Can't miss

  1. A cone at the BYU Creamery The Creamery on Ninth East reopened bigger in January. Save room.
  2. Hiking to the Y The switchback trail up to the block Y above campus is a steep morning hike with the whole valley below. Do it before a late kick.

Quick answers

What time does the BYU tailgate lot open?

8 a.m. on every home game day, and it stays open until 2 hours after the game. Other lots open 4 hours before kickoff.

Can you grill at LaVell Edwards Stadium?

Yes, with a propane or wood-pellet grill. Charcoal grills and wood fires aren't allowed in the tailgate lot or any other lot.

Is alcohol allowed at BYU tailgates?

No. Alcohol and tobacco aren't permitted anywhere on BYU's campus, including the stadium and its parking lots. Smoking and vaping are prohibited too.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate?

BYU doesn't post a ticket rule for the tailgate lot. It's first come, first served, and everyone 2 and older needs a ticket to get into the stadium.

How do you buy parking?

The tailgate lot is first come, first served. Reserved Cougar Club lots need a digital pass, so download it before you leave home. Public lots open 4 hours before kickoff.

The game-day timeline

  1. 8 AMThe tailgate lot (Lot 18) opens
  2. 5 hrs beforeWest lot ticket booth opens
  3. 4 hrs beforePublic and reserved lots open
  4. 3.5 hrs beforeCougar Canyon opens
  5. 2.5 hrs beforeThe Cougar Walk
  6. 2 hrs beforeGates open

Where to park

Most of the lots next to the stadium are reserved for Cougar Club pass holders. The tailgate lot is first come.

Tailgate lot
Lot 18, south of the IT Building. Opens 8 a.m., first come, two stalls per vehicle. RVs and camp trailers welcome.
Reserved
Cougar Club lots around the stadium, digital pass only. Held for pass holders until about the end of the 1st quarter.
Public
Lots across campus open 4 hours before kickoff. The official map shows which are public.
Late RVs
Arriving less than 3 hours before kickoff? 2230 North 150 East, about 3 blocks north. Parking only, no tailgating.
Accessible
The IT Building lot (Lot 58) with a state disability pass, plus a shuttle every 15 minutes or so.
LaVell Edwards Stadium game-day parking and tailgate lot, simplified
LaVell Edwards Stadium game-day parking and tailgate lot, simplified
 See the official LaVell Edwards Stadium parking map

There's no overnight parking on campus. The one exception: for kickoffs at 7 p.m. or later, the tailgate lot can stay until 8 a.m. the next morning.
Tailgating in other lots is fine if you stay behind or in front of your car and don't take extra stalls.
No car? UTA's Utah Valley Express (UVX) runs on game days, with stations on University Pkwy by Lot 3 and Lot 8. The accessible shuttle runs from 2 hours before kickoff until 1 hour after.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against tickets.byu.edu and byucougars.com.

BYU's rules are clear and the same in every lot. The campus is alcohol- and tobacco-free, and that includes tailgates.

Grills
Propane and wood-pellet grills only. No charcoal, no wood fires.
Alcohol
Not permitted anywhere on campus, including the stadium and every parking lot. Same for tobacco, smoking and vaping.
Tents
No tent pegs or spikes. Nothing attached to BYU fixtures or landscaping.
Your space
Two stalls per vehicle in the tailgate lot. Elsewhere, set up behind or in front of your car without taking extra stalls.
Not allowed
Pets, fireworks and illegal substances. There are no electrical or water hookups.
When it ends
2 hours after the game, or 8 a.m. the next morning after a 7 p.m. or later kickoff. No overnight parking otherwise.
Bags at the gate
No bags. A clutch up to 5 x 8 x 1 inches is fine. No outside food or drink, umbrellas or stadium chairs.
Gates open
2 hours before kickoff. Re-entry is allowed if you get your ticket exit-scanned.
Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

LaVell Edwards Stadium policies and parking2026 stadium parking mapLaVell Edwards Stadium fan guide and timelineGameday information (2025 season)UTA Utah Valley Express (UVX)

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

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What we'd bring.

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Shipping and returns

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Where the party is

BYU's tailgate is a family affair by design: no alcohol, no tobacco and a lot that opens at 8 a.m. The day builds toward Cougar Canyon and the team's walk down Canyon Road.

The tailgate lot

Lot 18

BYU's designated tailgate lot, south of the IT Building. Two stalls per vehicle, propane or pellet grills, portable restrooms and dumpsters on site.

The pregame

Cougar Canyon

BYU's pregame zone just west of the stadium. It opens 3.5 hours before kickoff, and the team walks through it on the way in.

For the kids

The Backyard

More of the Cougar Canyon pregame, south of the stadium across University Pkwy on Helaman Fields.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Cook thisWhat to cook at a tailgate (that survives the lot)

Getting out

Nobody has to rush out of Lot 18. Your options, best first:

  1. Stay at the tailgate. The lot stays open 2 hours after the game, and all night after a late kickoff. Let University Pkwy clear.
  2. Ride UVX. Stations sit on University Pkwy by Lots 3 and 8. Check UTA's game-day schedule before you go.
  3. Use the accessible shuttle. It runs from the IT Building lot until 1 hour after the game.

  4. Skip this

    Pull out with the crowd. Every lot empties at once onto University Pkwy and Canyon Rd. Expect a wait.

First time here?

  • Catch the Cougar Walk about 2.5 hours before kickoff.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Start in Lot 18 and take a lap, then head to Cougar Canyon.

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