Can't miss
- The Fremont Cannon When UNLV is the opponent, the teams play for a 545-pound replica cannon, painted in the winner's color. If it's that game, it's the one to see.
Quick answers
What time do the Mackay Stadium lots open?
Parking lots and tailgate areas open 5 hours before kickoff. Tailgating ends at kickoff and isn't allowed during the game. RV spaces open at 7 p.m. the night before.
Can you grill at Nevada tailgates?
Yes. Propane and charcoal grills are allowed unless a fire ban is in effect. Keep grills 15 feet from buildings and never leave them unattended, and dump coals only in the special bins Nevada provides.
Can you drink at Nevada tailgates?
Only if you're 21 or over. Nevada's guide bans glass containers and all mass-consumption devices, and asks for aluminum cans or reusable containers. No outside alcohol goes into Mackay.
Do you need a ticket to tailgate at Nevada?
Nevada doesn't post a ticket rule for the lots, but tailgate spots need a parking pass bought in advance, and you need a ticket to get into Mackay. There's no re-entry.
How do you buy parking at Nevada?
Season and single-game parking and tailgate passes are sold through the Nevada Athletics ticket office at 775-348-PACK (7225). Prices vary by location and opponent. RVs need their own RV pass.
The game-day timeline
- 7 p.m. the night beforeRV tailgating spaces open
- 5 hrs beforeParking lots and tailgate areas open
- 3 hrs beforeTicket windows and will call open between Gates 5 and 6
- 2 hrs beforeVehicle traffic and supply drop-offs stop in tailgate areas
- 90 min beforeStadium gates, concessions and beer sales open
- KickoffTailgating ends. Cars can come back in to load up once the game starts
- Noon the day afterRVs must be cleared out
Where to park
Tailgating is in designated spots only, and the spots are passes you book ahead. None are south of the Brian J. Whalen Parking Garage.
- Tailgate spots
- Named areas on the 2026 map: Wolf Pack Plaza, Battle Born, Nevada Grit, Silver & Blue, Peccole Park, the R-W Wolfie Party Zone, Spaces 1 to 11 and the Wolf Pack Party Lot.
- Passes
- Season or single game, booked through 775-348-PACK. Not every space is available for weekday games.
- RV
- RV pass required. Spaces open at 7 p.m. the night before and clear by noon the day after. Only RVs may stay overnight.
- Accessible
- Outside Gate 5 (Jensen Plaza), on the 1st floor of the West Stadium Garage and at other campus spots. Text 833-833-4842 for help from 90 minutes before kickoff.
- Buses
- Group buses must call ahead and park at the Reno Softball Complex, 2975 N. Virginia St.
Plan to unload before 2 hours to kickoff. After that, foot traffic means you may not be able to drive to your spot.
Cars parked illegally on game day get towed. Nevada lists Milne Towing at 775-359-0106 if it happens to you.
No car? Rideshare drop-off and pickup is in designated zones that traffic officers direct you to.
The rules
Rules last verified Oct 15, 2026 against nevadawolfpack.com and unr.edu.
Nevada's guide is mostly about fire and timing. Here's what changes your packing list.
- Grills
- Propane and charcoal, unless there's a fire ban. 15 feet from buildings, never unattended, nothing overhead like awnings.
- Coals and oil
- Coals go only in the special bins in the lots. Take your cooking oil home.
- Alcohol
- 21 and over only. No glass and no mass-consumption devices. Use cans or reusable containers.
- Tents
- Pop-ups up to 12 x 12 feet, weighted down, inside your space.
- Your space
- Grills, tables and chairs stay inside your spot. Keep walkways and roads clear. No stages or platforms.
- Sound
- Point speakers into your own space. No live bands or DJs.
- Not allowed
- Selling food, smoking or vaping anywhere on campus, and marijuana.
- When it ends
- Kickoff. No tailgating during the game, and non-RV cars leave after it.
- Bags at the gate
- Clear bag up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, a 1-gallon clear bag, or a 4.5 x 6.5 inch clutch. No re-entry.
Before you go
Mackay Stadium A-to-Z game day guideNevada football game day tailgating guide (PDF)Nevada Athletics tailgating policy2026 Nevada football tailgate map (PDF)Official pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.
Pack for Reno
What we'd bring.
-
Ultralight Tall-Back Camp Chair
$45
Ships free
-
55 qt Hard Cooler, 60 Cans
$299
Ships free
One cooler for the whole crew parked at the car: about 60 cans on ice.
More for this lot
-
Monument G22 Tabletop Gas Grill, 2 Burners$199 · Ships free
Reno is high desert. September afternoons are hot, November nights get cold fast. Pack layers and water.
Where the party is
Mackay sits at the north end of campus, and the tailgate spots wrap its west side and run out to Peccole Park, each one with its own name on the map. Grills of either kind are welcome, so the smoke starts early, and everything has to roll in before the 2-hour cutoff.
By the stadium
Wolf Pack Plaza
The tailgate area just northwest of Mackay on the 2026 map, across from the P1 and P2 markers.
By the ballpark
Peccole Park
The tailgate area that wraps the baseball stadium east of Mackay, off Evans Avenue.
The big lots
Battle Born and Silver & Blue
The two large tailgate lots at the northwest corner of the map along Comstock, north of 17th Street.
What to eat
Propane and charcoal are both allowed, and you can bring your own food or have it catered by the university's caterer. You can't sell food from your spot.
Getting out
Every tailgate lot empties at once after the game, and the campus streets are tight. Your options, best first:
- Follow the postgame traffic plan. Nevada links a postgame traffic flow map from its A-to-Z page. Check your lot's exit before the game.
- Head for the rideshare zone. Traffic officers direct drivers to the designated rideshare pickup.
- Stay with the RV. RV pass holders can stay the night and leave by noon the next day.
Skip this
Cut through the lots against the flow. Officers and parking staff set the routes, and they won't move for you.
First time here?
- Book your tailgate spot ahead at 775-348-PACK.
- Lots open 5 hours before kickoff. Tailgating ends at kickoff.
- Unload before cars stop moving 2 hours out.
- Propane or charcoal is fine. Glass isn't.
- Coals go in the special bins only.
- Clear bag only, and no re-entry once you're in.
Visiting? How to join a tailgate
Walk the named tailgate areas in your colors, bring something to share and say hello before you step into a setup.
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Your Mackay Stadium game-day sheet, by email
One page for the lot: where to park, when it opens, what you can bring.
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