Parking Near Kroger Field
Kroger Field sits at 1540 University Drive, on the corner of Alumni Drive and University Drive at the south end of the UK campus. Gameday parking comes down to three choices: a paid lot you buy in advance, a free lot that costs you a walk, or the shuttle.
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Red marker is Kroger Field. Green P markers are free gameday parking. Tap any pin for walking distance.
2026 UK Home Schedule and Kickoff Times
Seven home games at Kroger Field. Kickoff drives everything else on gameday, since lots open at 8 a.m. no matter the start time and the shuttle runs from three hours out.
- •September 5: Youngstown State, 1:00 p.m. (SEC Network+)
- •September 12: Alabama, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
- •September 26: South Alabama, 12:45 p.m. (SEC Network)
- •October 10: LSU, Night game, time not yet announced
- •October 24: Vanderbilt, Night game, time not yet announced
- •November 14: Florida, Night game, time not yet announced
- •November 28: Louisville (Governor's Cup), Noon or 1:00 p.m., time not yet final
The SEC sets the remaining kickoff times on a rolling basis, usually about two weeks out, so the night games and the Louisville game stay open until then.
Before kickoff on September 5: call Kentucky's season and lock in your prediction card. Picks close when the season starts.
Free Parking Near Kroger Field
Free gameday parking exists, but it is a walk. These three hold up year to year.
Hilltop Avenue Garage (PS #2)
538 Rose Street, next to the W.T. Young Library. Free, covered, and the closest of the three: about 0.8 miles, roughly a 16 minute walk through campus.
Elizabeth Street Garage (PS #6)
721 Elizabeth Street, at the corner of Press and Virginia. Free, and a good backup when Hilltop fills: about 1.2 miles, roughly a 24 minute walk.
Waller Avenue Shopping Center (near St. Joseph Hospital)
Free, and worth trying first on gameday. It sits farther west than the campus lots, so plan on a longer walk or a short rideshare.
Both free garages prohibit tailgating and have no public restrooms.
Find Your Parking Spot
Answer three questions for a plain recommendation.
Do you have a UK parking permit?
How far are you willing to walk?
Do you want to tailgate?
Answer all three questions to see a recommendation.
Paid Parking and UK Permit Lots
Reserved single-game parking
Sold by the game for the William T. Young Library lots, at the corner of Woodland Avenue and Columbia Avenue. $50 per vehicle, card payment only. No cash is taken at the gate.
ADA parking
Same W.T. Young lots, $50, card only, and a valid state-issued disabled hang tag is required.
RVs and buses
$100, card only. An RV permit gets you into the Main RV and Gluck RV lots starting at 8 p.m. Friday, the night before the game.
- •Official Kroger Field lots open at 8 a.m. on gameday.
- •Permits are mobile delivery and shown on a smartphone at the lot entry. Load yours before you leave home.
- •Lots fill fast in the two hours before kickoff.
- •Season permits are limited to season ticket holders, one permit per four season tickets, and nearly every lot is sold out for 2026, so single-game parking is the realistic route for most fans.
Closed for the 2026 Season
- •Parking Structure 1 and the Yellow/Red lot are unavailable for the entire 2026 season.
- •Farm Road is closed all season to both vehicle and foot traffic. It is not a shortcut to the stadium for the 2026 season, so route around it on the way in and on the way back to your car.
LexTran Gameday Shuttle
LexTran runs two gameday shuttles, a downtown route and a campus route. The fare is $1 each way, paid onboard, exact change only.
Service starts three hours before kickoff, pauses from 30 minutes after kickoff until the start of the fourth quarter, then runs again until one hour after the game ends. Plan around that midgame pause if you are leaving early.
Route maps for both shuttles are posted at lextran.com.
Traffic and Gameday Routing
Gameday changes the streets around campus. Some go one way, some close entirely. UK partners with Waze for gameday routing, so download Waze before you leave home.
Nicholasville Road, Alumni Drive, and University Drive back up for hours before and after kickoff. Approaching from the south side, by way of Nicholasville Road and Alumni Drive, is the natural route from most of Lexington. Our live Lexington traffic cameras show those corridors before you leave.
Tailgating at Kroger Field
Kroger Field tailgating is part of the experience, not just something that happens before it. You bring what you want: foldable chairs, a cooler, your own spread of food. There is no wrong way to do it. Some people keep it simple with a few chairs and a bag of chips. Others go all out, and I mean all out: campers and RVs, generators, big screen TVs set up for everyone nearby to watch, full food spreads that would make a restaurant jealous. I have seen setups that honestly looked more impressive than some tailgate parties I have paid to attend. It is that kind of atmosphere. Arrive early, find your spot, and enjoy it. The parking lot becomes a neighborhood before the game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there free parking near Kroger Field?
Yes, three of them, if you are willing to walk: the Hilltop Avenue Garage at 538 Rose Street, about 0.8 miles out, the Elizabeth Street Garage (PS #6) at 721 Elizabeth Street, about 1.2 miles out, and the Waller Avenue shopping center lot near St. Joseph Hospital, worth trying first on gameday. Both garages prohibit tailgating and have no public restrooms.
What time do Kroger Field lots open on game days?
Official Kroger Field lots open at 8 a.m. on gameday and fill fast in the two hours before kickoff. RV permit holders can enter the Main RV and Gluck RV lots starting at 8 p.m. Friday.
Is there a shuttle to Kroger Field?
Yes. LexTran runs two gameday shuttles, a downtown route and a campus route, at $1 each way paid onboard with exact change. Service starts three hours before kickoff, pauses from 30 minutes after kickoff until the fourth quarter, then runs until one hour after the game. Route maps are at lextran.com.
What is the walking distance from the free lots?
Hilltop Avenue Garage is about 0.8 miles, roughly 16 minutes, and the Elizabeth Street Garage about 1.2 miles, roughly 24 minutes. The Waller Avenue lot sits farther west, so plan on a longer walk or a short rideshare. Farm Road is closed to foot traffic for the entire 2026 season, so it is not a shortcut on any of these walks.
Can I tailgate at Kroger Field?
Yes, in the stadium lots, anywhere from a few chairs and a cooler to RVs, generators, and big screen TVs. Arrive when the lots open at 8 a.m. to set up. The free garages do not allow tailgating.
Where do I buy a parking pass for Kroger Field?
Through UK Athletics. Reserved single-game parking is $50 per vehicle at the William T. Young Library lots, card payment only, and RV or bus permits are $100. Season permits are limited to season ticket holders and nearly sold out for 2026. Permits are mobile delivery, so load yours on your phone before you leave home.
Lot prices, shuttle fares, and permit rules change each season. Verify current details with UK Athletics and LexTran before gameday.