LSU Tiger Stadium Parking

Dealing with gameday traffic in Baton Rouge takes some planning before you get in the car. With more than 102,000 people heading to Death Valley, getting good LSU Tiger Stadium parking comes down to knowing which lots need athletic donor permits, where you can park for free, and how post-game contraflow will steer your drive home. Here is a breakdown of LSU football gameday parking, covering free grass lots, single-game drive-up locations, contraflow patterns, rideshare drop-offs, and weekday campus visits.

Where is free parking for LSU football games?

Free gameday parking is concentrated mainly on the grass lots across the southwest side of campus. These include the Hayfield Lot, Golf Course Lot, Gourrier South Lot, and Levee South Lot along River Road. All of these are non-reserved spaces open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis on football Saturdays.

Since you do not need a donor permit or a prepaid pass, these lots are the go-to choice for fans looking for free parking LSU football setups. You will have to walk anywhere from 0.8 to 1.3 miles (about 15 to 25 minutes) to reach Tiger Stadium. From Levee South or Hayfield, the walk heads east straight down Gourrier Avenue or Skip Bertman Drive.

Can you park at the LSU Golf Course or Hayfield for free?

Yes. Parking at both the LSU Golf Course lot and the Hayfield is free on gamedays on a first-come, first-served basis. Both lots open at 7:00 a.m. Saturday morning. The front section of the Old Front Nine off Nicholson Drive operates as a paid drive-up lot, but the standard Golf Course lot and the large Hayfield area right behind it do not cost anything.

How early do you need to arrive to get a free parking spot at LSU?

Plan on arriving between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. for afternoon kickoffs or marquee SEC night games. For non-conference matchups, arriving 4 to 5 hours ahead of kickoff is usually enough. For big games against teams like Alabama, Texas, or Texas A&M, the Hayfield and Golf Course lots often fill up before noon. Once a lot hits capacity, Baton Rouge Police block the entrances, and you will have to look for paid commercial spots or private yard parking off campus.

What time do LSU football gameday parking lots open?

All university athletic and public parking lots open at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, regardless of kickoff time. You can set up tailgates on campus grass starting at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, but cars cannot enter reserved or open surface parking spots until 7:00 a.m. Saturday. Tiger Stadium stadium gates open 2 hours before kickoff for general ticket holders.

What are LSU football parking prices and drive-up rates?

Official LSU football parking prices for single-game campus drive-up lots range from $25 to $100 depending on the opponent. Private yards and commercial lots off campus generally charge between $20 and $60. Day-of-game paid campus spaces are sold on a first-come basis at LSU Old Front Nine parking (Lots 1, 2, and 3 off Burbank Drive and Nicholson Drive) and Lot 414.

If you want a guaranteed spot without racing to campus at 7:00 a.m., platforms like Prked—ranked #1 on Trustpilot in both the Parking Garage and Parking Lot categories—let you book private driveways or commercial spots within walking distance of the stadium ahead of time.

Can you pay for parking with cash at LSU football lots?

No. All official LSU athletic lots are completely cashless. Attendants at the Old Front Nine and other university-run paid lots accept only credit cards, debit cards, or mobile parking passes bought through the athletic ticket portal. Cash is only useful if you park on private property along Burbank Drive, Highland Road, or Nicholson Drive.

How much does a Tiger Stadium parking pass cost and where can you buy one?

On secondary ticket markets like SeatGeek and StubHub, an official Tiger Stadium parking pass usually runs from $60 to $150 for non-conference games and anywhere from $150 to over $350 for big SEC games. The priciest passes are for inner-campus lots right next to Tiger Stadium, such as Lots 101, 102, 201, and 401. These are originally issued only to Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF) donors based on priority points. If you decide to buy LSU football parking pass resale permits, make sure the seller provides a valid digital transfer or a physical hangtag with the correct athletic department colors for that game.

Is private residential parking near Tiger Stadium a good option?

Renting a private driveway or yard from a local homeowner near LSU is one of the easiest ways to dodge campus gridlock and contraflow restrictions. Because these homes sit just outside the campus perimeter barricades, you get a short walk to the stadium and can choose your own route when leaving.

• North Campus & Old South Baton Rouge (Aster St, W Roosevelt St, & Alaska St): These driveways sit 0.5 to 0.8 miles north of the stadium (a 10- to 15-minute walk down Nicholson Drive) and outside campus road closures. Exiting gives you a straight shot northbound on Nicholson toward Downtown Baton Rouge, I-110, and the I-10 bridge without waiting in university lot queues on Skip Bertman Drive.
• East Campus & State Street Corridor (State St, Carlotta St, & Dalrymple Dr): About 0.8 to 1.1 miles northeast of the stadium (a 15- to 18-minute walk across campus), spaces east of Highland Road let you leave via East State Street or Dalrymple Drive toward Stanford Avenue and Acadian Thruway. This connects directly to I-10 East while bypassing the heavy congestion on Nicholson and Burbank.
• South Campus Corridor (Burbank Dr & Jennifer Jean Dr): Located roughly 0.7 to 1.0 mile southeast of the stadium (a 12- to 16-minute walk), private spaces along Burbank feed directly outbound toward Lee Drive, Bluebonnet Boulevard, and Siegen Lane. You avoid the bottlenecks that trap cars leaving the Hayfield and Golf Course lots.

Booking a residential driveway through Prked is a dependable way to line up parking near Tiger Stadium before gameday. The service holds a 5.0/5 rating on Trustpilot from over 750 reviews. Rates are often cheaper than resale passes, payments are handled online in advance, and having an on-site homeowner gives you some extra peace of mind while you are at the game.

LSU Game Day Parking Map: Reserved Permits vs. Single-Game Lots

Understanding the LSU game day parking map comes down to separating donor permit areas, single-game pay lots, and open public parking.

How does the LSU football contraflow traffic map and exit route system work?

After the game, police turn major roads into one-way outbound routes to move more than 30,000 cars off campus. Where you park determines which direction you have to drive. Managed by the Baton Rouge Police Department and Louisiana State Police, the LSU football contraflow traffic map eliminates left turns and stops drivers from crossing campus.

• River Road: Cars in the Levee South Lot, Vet School area, or west campus lots are forced either north toward Downtown Baton Rouge and I-10 West, or south toward L'Auberge Casino and Bluebonnet Boulevard.
• Nicholson Drive (Highway 30): Traffic south of South Stadium Drive can only go south toward Bluebonnet and Lexington. Traffic north of Aster Street is sent north toward downtown.
• Burbank Drive: Vehicles leaving the Old Front Nine and southeast lots are routed straight down Burbank Drive toward Lee Drive and Siegen Lane.
• Highland Road: East campus traffic moves either south toward Kenilworth Parkway or north toward State Street.

Contraflow can start as early as the fourth quarter. Once it begins, all inbound traffic to campus is shut down.

Where is LSU Tiger Stadium ADA handicap parking and shuttle access located?

Free LSU Tiger Stadium ADA handicap parking is located at the back of Lot 406 on Gourrier Avenue, behind Tiger Park and next to the LSU Soccer Stadium. Spaces open at 7:00 a.m. on gameday on a first-come, first-served basis. You need a state-issued disability placard or ADA license plate, and the person registered to the placard must be in the car.

A free ADA shuttle runs continuously between Lot 406 and Tiger Stadium. Before the game, it picks up at Lot 406 and drops off near Lot 101 / Nicholson Gateway by Torchy's Tacos. Return shuttles run from Nicholson Gateway for about 90 minutes after the final whistle. Paid ADA spaces can also be reserved in advance at the Nicholson Gateway Garage for fans with valid state credentials.

Where is the LSU football rideshare pickup Lot 406 and Uber drop-off zone?

The designated drop-off and pickup spot for Uber and Lyft is Lot 406 on Skip Bertman Drive / Gourrier Avenue, near the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. All rideshare trips before and after the game must use this zone, which is about a 10- to 15-minute walk (0.7 miles) from the stadium.

For post-game rides at the LSU football rideshare pickup Lot 406, drivers must be inside the lot before contraflow traffic begins. Once police turn on contraflow, incoming cars and rideshares cannot enter campus. If your driver does not make it into Lot 406 before the fourth quarter, you will need to walk past the contraflow perimeter toward Nicholson Drive or Burbank Drive to meet them.

Where can you park an RV or tailgate trailer for Tiger Stadium games?

RVs and motorhomes must use reserved RV lots, mainly Touchdown Village 1, Touchdown Village 2, and Lot 412. These require advance permits through LSU Athletics. RV lots open at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday before home games. Vehicles must be hookup-ready or run silent onboard generators.

Utility and tailgate trailers towed by passenger vehicles require their own trailer permit and must fit inside a standard stall without sticking out into driving lanes. Saving empty spaces with tents, cones, or chairs is not allowed, and staff will clear them out. Vehicles and trailers are also prohibited from parking over root zones or mulch around campus live oak trees.

Where is Tiger Stadium visitor parking at Union Square Garage on weekdays?

Visitors coming to LSU on regular weekdays can park in metered spaces, with Tiger Stadium visitor parking Union Square Garage serving as the main facility for campus guests. Located on East Campus Drive near the Student Union and Barnes & Noble bookstore, the garage charges an hourly rate (typically $3.00 per hour) paid through ParkMobile or on-site pay stations.

Metered visitor spaces are also available near the LSU Student Center and Nicholson Gateway during business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Outside those hours and on regular weekends, most unmetered faculty and commuter spaces are open to the public without a permit.