Scott Stadium Parking

Getting into Charlottesville and finding parking near Scott Stadium on game day takes a bit of forethought. The stadium sits right in the middle of UVA’s athletic grounds, surrounded by donor spaces, academic garages, and residential streets. Whether you are coming to town for an ACC game or an early-season non-conference matchup, reviewing the Scott Stadium parking map, knowing which lots are free, understanding the shuttle options, or booking a neighborhood driveway through Prked—rated #1 on Trustpilot in both the Parking Garage and Parking Lot categories—will save you from spending kickoff stuck in neighborhood traffic.

Where Can I Find Scott Stadium Free Parking for UVA Football Games?

Free game day parking is available at Fontaine Research Park (surface lots and garage), the John Paul Jones (JPJ) Arena surface lots, and North Grounds (The Park and D3 surface lots). These university-run locations are open to the general public for free on a first-come, first-served basis, and all of them include complimentary shuttle bus service directly to Scott Stadium.

• Fontaine Research Park (Red Lots): Located off Fontaine Avenue and the US-29 Bypass. It includes a multi-story garage alongside open surface lots. If you want to skip the bus entirely, a paved, lighted path runs straight from Fontaine to the stadium.
• John Paul Jones (JPJ) Arena (Purple Lots): Located along Massie Road on North Grounds. The surface lots here offer thousands of spaces, making them convenient for fans arriving via US-29 North and the US-250 Bypass.
• The Park / D3 Lot (Blue Lots): Located on North Grounds near the Law School and Darden School of Business, off Arlington Boulevard and Massie Road. These spots are great if you want an easier route in and out of town.

Free lots generally open at 8:00 a.m. for afternoon or evening games, or up to five hours before earlier kickoffs. Because these spaces cost nothing and require no permit, the spots closest to shuttle stops fill up quickly.

How Does the JPJ Arena Parking Scott Stadium Shuttle and Fontaine Bus Work?

UVA Transit Service runs free game day shuttles connecting Fontaine Research Park, JPJ Arena, and North Grounds directly to the stadium. Buses start running two to three hours before kickoff (with early "Wahoo Walk" shuttles leaving North Grounds three hours before game time) and operate continuously through the post-game rush.

Return shuttles begin loading around the stadium perimeter as soon as the fourth quarter ends and run for at least 60 to 90 minutes after the game. Lines at the gates get long immediately after the final whistle, but buses run continuous loops back to the parking areas.

Fontaine Research Park Gameday Parking: How Long Is the Walk to Scott Stadium?

Walking from Fontaine Research Park to Scott Stadium takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes (about 0.8 miles). A paved, lighted footpath connects the medical park directly to the South End Zone and West Gate concourse.

Walking this trail is often quicker than waiting in shuttle lines after a sellout game. It does include a few moderate uphill stretches, so wear comfortable shoes.

Walking from JPJ Arena or The Park is a much longer trek at 1.3 to 1.5 miles (25 to 35 minutes across Central Grounds), so taking the free purple or blue shuttle bus from North Grounds is usually the better choice.

What Time Do UVA Football Parking Lots Open on Gameday?

Most official UVA parking areas, including the free lots at JPJ Arena and Fontaine Research Park, open at 8:00 a.m. on standard Saturdays, or about four to five hours prior to earlier kickoffs.

For Friday night games, surface and academic lots remain closed to football traffic until afternoon classes finish and commuter cars clear out, usually between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Virginia Athletics Foundation (VAF) donors can enter their assigned lots at the designated opening time set for each game. Overnight parking for cars or RVs is prohibited without a specific, pre-approved game day RV permit.

How Do You Get a Scott Stadium Parking Pass for Donor Lots?

To park in the donor lots next to the stadium, you must be an active Virginia Athletics Foundation (VAF) member with a qualifying season or single-game parking pass.

VAF spaces are distributed based on annual donation tiers and priority points:

• Numbered, Assigned Stall Lots ($1,750+ Annual Giving): Lots including South Lot, Lower West, West, East A, East D, East F, East G, North A, North G, and Whitehead Road feature reserved, numbered spaces. Drivers must park in their assigned spot.
• General Admission Donor Lots ($100–$1,749 Annual Giving): Outer lots such as North B, North C, North D, North E, North F, North H, East E, East K, East L, and East M operate on a first-come, first-served basis for permit holders assigned to those areas.

Digital Scott Stadium Parking Pass Requirement

Physical hangtags have been replaced with 100% digital parking passes. Your pass must be pulled up on a smartphone through the Virginia Sports App or your UVATix account and scanned by an attendant upon entry. Screenshots and paper printouts are not accepted. If you have an assigned numbered space, the attendant will scan your phone and hand you a physical dashboard placard for lot attendants to verify while the car is parked.

Can I Park in Central Grounds or Emmet/Ivy Garage on Gameday?

Yes. Visitors can use Central Grounds Garage (400 Emmet St S), Emmet/Ivy Garage (925 Ivy Rd), and South Garage, though these operate as paid event facilities on game days.

• Central Grounds Garage: Located under the UVA Bookstore, roughly a 10-minute walk (0.5 miles) to Scott Stadium's North Gate. Single-game passes are often sold beforehand through ParkMobile or UVATix, with drive-up payment accepted if spaces remain.
• Emmet/Ivy Garage: Located at Emmet Street and Ivy Road, offering covered parking about 0.8 miles from the gates. You can walk through Central Grounds or hop on a nearby campus transit bus.
• South Garage: Located off Crispell Drive near the UVA Medical Center, used occasionally for overflow paid parking during high-demand games.

Expect to pay between $15 and $30 for game day garage parking when purchasing through ParkMobile or mobile reservation links. Culbreth Garage is generally reserved for athletic staff, event production, and departmental permits.

Where Can I Park If Official Scott Stadium Parking Passes Are Sold Out?

Renting a private driveway or lawn spot from a local resident is a great backup when university decks fill up or you want to skip long shuttle lines. The neighborhoods around Scott Stadium offer short walks to the gates and help you steer clear of the post-game street closures on Alderman Road and Whitehead Road.

• Jefferson Park Avenue (JPA) & Stadium Road: Just east and southeast of the stadium, driveways along JPA and Stadium Road put you within a 5- to 8-minute walk of the East and South entrances. Heading out south down JPA lets you connect straight onto Fontaine Avenue toward the US-29 Bypass and I-64 (Exit 118B) without getting caught in campus traffic.
• Fry's Spring & Maury Avenue: Located southeast of the stadium along Maury Avenue, Cleveland Avenue, and Shamrock Road. These spots are an easy 8- to 12-minute walk from the gates. When leaving, you can cut east toward Cherry Avenue or south toward 5th Street Extended, bypassing the busy intersection at Emmet Street and University Avenue.
• Lewis Mountain Neighborhood: Just northwest of the stadium along Thomson Road, Crestmont Avenue, and Lewis Mountain Road, offering a quiet 7- to 10-minute walk to the West Gate. Exiting through this neighborhood gives you a straight shot toward Ivy Road (US-250 Business) and US-29 North without waiting in garage lines.

Booking a spot ahead of time through Prked is an easy way to lock in residential parking near Scott Stadium. It gives you an upfront price, clear property photos, and a reserved space, often for less than the cost of university garages. Prked holds a 5.0/5 rating on Trustpilot from over 750 reviews, letting you check ratings for individual hosts, pay securely, and leave your car on private property while you head to the game.

Where Is Scott Stadium ADA Parking Located?

Designated ADA parking is located at John Paul Jones (JPJ) Arena surface lots and inside the Fontaine Research Park garage. Both spots connect to Scott Stadium via wheelchair-accessible shuttle buses.

• Accessible Shuttles: Paratransit vans and low-floor accessible buses run between the JPJ Arena bus shelter, Fontaine Research Park, and the stadium gates, dropping passengers off right by the East and West concourse ramps.
• Stadium Perimeter ADA Spaces: The limited ADA spots in donor lots directly bordering the stadium (such as the West Lot and Bryant Hall area) are reserved exclusively for VAF donors who registered their state disability placards in advance through the ticket office.
• State Placard Requirement: Anyone using accessible spaces on university property must display a valid, state-issued disability placard or license plate.

Where Is the Designated Scott Stadium Uber Pickup Location and Rideshare Drop-Off?

The designated rideshare drop-off and pickup zone is on McCormick Road near Gilmer Hall and the Chemistry Building.

To keep pedestrians safe and prevent gridlock, police close off general vehicle access along Alderman Road and Stadium Road before and after the game. Uber and Lyft use geofencing to prevent drivers from accepting rides or dropping passengers off directly along the stadium perimeter.

From the McCormick Road drop-off point, follow the lighted concrete path south past the Chemistry Building and the Aquatic & Fitness Center to the stadium gates (roughly 0.3 miles, or a 7-minute walk). When the game ends, walk back to McCormick Road before requesting your ride.

What Are the Rules for Scott Stadium Tailgating Lots and Free Areas?

Tailgating is allowed in surface lots at JPJ Arena, The Park, Fontaine Research Park, and VAF donor surface lots, provided fans follow university guidelines.

Key tailgating rules include:

• Space Limits: Your setup must fit directly in front of or behind your parked vehicle. Setting up chairs, canopies, or grills in adjacent empty parking stalls or driving lanes is not permitted.
• Open Flames and Grills: Propane tank grills are allowed. Open wood fires, fire pits, and deep fryers are prohibited. Charcoal grills must be attended at all times and dumped exclusively in the marked red hot-coal bins.
• Garage Restrictions: Grills, open flames, and large tailgate setups are prohibited inside covered parking decks (like Fontaine Garage and Central Grounds Garage) due to fire safety regulations.
• Alcohol Policies: Tailgaters 21 and older may consume alcohol responsibly within designated lot areas. University rules prohibit open containers on city sidewalks, public streets, or inside Scott Stadium.

UVA Gameday Parking Directions and Post-Game Highway Traffic Flow

Traffic patterns change quickly after the fourth quarter as local police turn surrounding roads—including sections of Alderman, Whitehead, and Stadium Road—into one-way outbound corridors. Planning your exit route ahead of time saves a lot of hassle.

Base your exit route on where you left your vehicle:

• From Fontaine Research Park: Pull onto Fontaine Avenue for a straight shot to the US-29 Bypass and I-64 (Exit 118B). This route avoids main campus traffic and gets you moving west toward Waynesboro or east toward Richmond right away.
• From JPJ Arena and The Park: Pull onto Massie Road or Copeley Road to access the US-250 Bypass or US-29 North toward Ruckersville and Culpeper.
• From Central Grounds and JPA: Traffic along Jefferson Park Avenue and Emmet Street moves slowly toward West Main. Take JPA south toward Fontaine Avenue to hit I-64, or head north on Emmet Street to reach the US-250 Bypass.

Matching your parking choice to your highway route will get you back on the road much faster once the game wraps up.