New Mexico Tailgating at University Stadium: Lots & Rules

Can't miss

Green chile season In early fall, chile roasters turn on street corners and grocery lots all over Albuquerque, and you can smell it from the car. Buy a bag roasted.
Sandias at sunset The mountains east of town turn pink at sundown. At a late-afternoon kick, look east from the stands.

Quick answers

What time do the UNM tailgate lots open?

Stadium East and the other tailgating lots open at 6 a.m. on every home game day in 2026, whatever the kickoff time. Tailgating ends at kickoff, and the lots close after the game.

Can you grill at UNM tailgates?

Yes. Grills must be attended with an extinguisher on hand, and charcoal has to be disposed of properly, never in trash cans, under trees or near cars. Gas-powered generators aren't allowed.

Can you drink at UNM tailgates?

Fans 21 and over with a ticket to that day's game can drink in the parking lots under university policy. No glass bottles, no kegs or party balls, and no alcohol goes into the stadium.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate at UNM?

To drink in the lots, yes: UNM limits it to fans 21 and over who have a ticket to the game. Parking itself is first come, first served in Stadium East.

How do you buy parking at UNM?

Pay as you enter Stadium East, first come, first served. Reserved grass spaces in Stadium East are sold ahead through the Lobo Club at 505-925-5514. Students park free in paid lots with a UNM ID.

The game-day timeline

Day before, 12 to 8 p.m.RVs and trailers with reserved Stadium East spaces must arrive
6 a.m.Stadium East and the tailgating lots open
3 hrs beforeLouie Lane opens. T-Lot park and ride shuttles start
2.5 hrs beforeThe Lobo Walk, next to Louie Lane
90 min beforeGates open
1 hr beforeLobo Marching Band and spirit squad appearance
30 min beforeLouie Lane closes
KickoffTailgating ends
1 hr afterLast T-Lot return shuttles

Where to park

Stadium East is the big public tailgate lot. Staff park every car in order, north to south, row by row.

Stadium East: First come, first served, pay at entry. Staff direct you to your space, head-in, with room for a 10 x 10 setup behind you. No saving spots and no in-and-out.
Reserved grass: Along the grass in Stadium East, each the size of 6 regular spaces. Season or single game through the Lobo Club, 505-925-5514.
Other public lots: The 2026 map marks the STP lots, Pit West and Baseball South as single-game parking. Stadium West, Stadium North 4 and the TLC lots are donor lots.
Students: Free in paid lots with a UNM ID. The student tailgate is at the south end of Stadium East.
RV and trailers: None enter Stadium East on game day. Game day RVs and trailers use Pit West.
Accessible: ADA parking in Pit West, with an ADA shuttle. The main ADA gate is Gate 3 on the west side.
Park and ride: T-Lot at Lomas and University NE. Shuttles from 3 hours before kickoff until kickoff, and for 1 hour after the game.

University Stadium game-day parking at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, simplified

See the official University Stadium parking map

Right turns only on game day. From I-25, exit at Avenida Cesar Chavez and use the right-hand turn lane.
Want to tailgate with friends? Arrive in a caravan. Spaces can't be held for cars coming later. From Stadium East, enter through Gate 9 at the southeast corner.
No car? The 2026 map puts the T-Lot shuttle and rideshare drop-off on Avenida Cesar Chavez by Louie Lane, north of the stadium. The gameday page also lists free parking at Milne Stadium.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 15, 2026 against golobos.com and unm.edu.

UNM keeps it practical: stay in your space, keep fire under control, and keep the drinks out of glass.

Grills: Always attended, with an extinguisher on hand. Dump charcoal properly, never in trash cans, under trees or near cars.
Alcohol: 21 and over with a ticket to that day's game. No glass bottles, kegs or party balls.
Tents: 10 x 10 feet max, no stakes, weighted for wind gusts. No corporate logos.
Your space: Chairs, pop-ups, grills and games like cornhole stay in the 10 x 10 area behind your spot.
Power: No gas-powered generators, and no loud electric ones. No plugging into UNM power.
Not allowed: Food sales, golf carts, scooters, drones, fencing and personal porta-potties.
When it ends: Kickoff. The lots close after the game.
Bags at the gate: Clear bag up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches or a 1-gallon bag. Clutches must be clear. One sealed water up to 20 oz.
Gates open: 90 minutes before kickoff. No re-entry.

Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

UNM football gameday Stadium East parking procedures updated for 2026 UNM tailgating overview and policies University Stadium policies: clear bag, prohibited items 2026 Lobo football gameday parking map

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

Pack for Albuquerque

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

Albuquerque is high desert, so early games run hot and night games cool off fast. Bring shade, water and a layer.

Shipping and returns

Get the Pregame for the Lobos. Your lot, your game and what to cook, every week. Free.Get the Pregame for the Lobos

Where the party is

Stadium East is one long lot on the east side of University Stadium, and UNM opens it at dawn for every game, even the night ones. The north end has Louie Lane, a free pregame with a beer garden, and the students take the south end.

The main lot

Stadium East

The big public tailgate lot east of the stadium, filled north to south from 6 a.m., with a 10 x 10 space behind each car and reserved grass spaces along the edge.

The free party

Louie Lane

Free pregame north of the stadium off Avenida Cesar Chavez, from 3 hours before kickoff to 30 minutes before, with a beer garden, a big TV, food trucks and a kids' area. The Lobo Walk passes right by 2.5 hours out.

The student side

Student tailgate

The south end of Stadium East near Gate 9. Students show a valid UNM ID to get in.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Grills are allowed as long as someone's watching them, and Louie Lane has food trucks if you'd rather buy than cook. No food sales from your spot.

Cook thisPozole rojo

Getting out

Game day traffic runs on right turns only, and Stadium East empties into Avenida Cesar Chavez. Your options, best first:

Ride the T-Lot shuttle back. Return shuttles run for 1 hour after the game to the park and ride at Lomas and University.
Use the Stadium East exit. The 2026 map puts the exit at the south end of the lot, apart from the north entrance.
Follow the right-turn plan. UNM runs right turns only around the stadium on game day. Follow the signs and officers.
Skip this
Hunt for a left turn. There isn't one. That's the whole point of the plan.

First time here?

Stadium East opens at 6 a.m. every game day.
Tailgating ends at kickoff.
Arrive together. Nobody saves spots anymore.
Drinking in the lots is for 21+ with a game ticket. No glass, no kegs.
Tents 10 x 10, no stakes, weighted down.
Clear bag only, gates open 90 minutes out, no re-entry.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Louie Lane is free and open to everyone, so it's an easy first stop. Then walk Stadium East in your colors with something to share and say hello before you step into a setup.

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