LaVell Edwards Stadium: Guide for Visiting Fans

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is the primary entry point for travelers, and from there, driving to Provo is the most practical option. It's roughly 45 miles south on I-15 — about 45–60 minutes in normal traffic, easily 90 minutes on game day if you're cutting it close.

Once in Provo, the smartest move is transit. UTA's Utah Valley Express (UVX), Route 830X, is the bus rapid transit line that runs through Provo and Orem — and a fee is charged to use it. The regular one-way fare on the UVX is $2.50. The UVX runs along University Parkway, passing by the northern edge of the BYU campus and the southern side of LaVell Edwards Stadium, arriving at the BYU Stadium stop just east of the stadium. Each end of the UVX route — Provo Central Station and Orem Central Station — connects to the FrontRunner commuter rail system, and BYU is just an 18-minute bus ride from either station. Buses run every 6 to 10 minutes during peak hours on weekdays.

If you're flying in from Salt Lake and want to skip a rental car entirely: FrontRunner south from SLC to Provo Central Station, then hop the UVX. The whole trip runs about 1 hour 15 minutes and costs a few dollars. For rideshare, drop-offs work best on Canyon Road near the stadium's west entrance — the BYU Stadium UVX stop area on University Parkway is also a reasonable landmark to give your driver.

Parking at LaVell Edwards is a game of who-arrived-when. The lots immediately adjacent to the stadium, including the west stadium lot, are reserved for pass holders. Student, graduate, and faculty parking lots on the BYU campus are open on weekends, as is visitor parking. Avoid student housing parking lots — parking there is limited for student residents and you're likely to get a parking ticket.

Lot 18 is the designated spot for on-campus tailgating at BYU. Situated just a short walk from LaVell Edwards Stadium, it provides easy access to the game while giving fans plenty of space to gather. It's located just west of LaVell Edwards Stadium on BYU's campus. On average, parking passes through resellers cost around $48. Official BYU pre-paid passes run in the $20–$30 range for general lots, though prices spike significantly for marquee games. Get there at least one hour beforehand to ensure time to find better parking. If you're budget-conscious and willing to walk 15–20 minutes, parking further out in the campus residential areas or near the Provo Towne Centre mall is free and low-stress — you just need to move before kickoff traffic turns Canyon Road into a parking lot itself.

Several major hotels can be found near campus and in Provo's downtown area, about a mile south of LaVell Edwards Stadium. Downtown Provo is your best base — you're far enough from the campus chaos to actually sleep, but close enough that the walk to the stadium is a pleasant mile through a college town that's cleaner than most. The stretch of Center Street and University Avenue has a handful of mid-range chains (Marriott, Hyatt Place) that fill up fast on game weekends, especially for high-profile Big 12 opponents. Book early — Provo isn't a huge hotel market, and the good rooms go months out for big matchups.

If you're priced out downtown or just want more options, Orem to the north is a 10-minute drive and has abundant chain hotels along State Street. You trade a bit of walkability for a shorter commute than flying in from SLC and parking there instead.

Here's the thing about Provo: it's a dry campus on a dry campus, meaning BYU's policy bans alcohol entirely — in the stadium and in the parking lots. Alcohol and tobacco are not permitted anywhere on BYU Campus, including inside the stadium or in its parking lots. There are bars in Provo proper (Utah is not as dry as its reputation), but you won't find a buzzing pregame sports bar strip a block from the gates like you would at most Big 12 venues. Plan accordingly — drink before you go, or embrace the lemonade.

La Jolla Groves — About two miles south of the stadium in the Riverwoods area. La Jolla Groves creates an upscale menu of American cuisine using healthy and fresh ingredients, with items like beef tenderloin salad, shrimp scampi, and filet steak sandwich. A solid spot for a pregame dinner if you're driving in early.

SLAB Pizza — Downtown Provo, worth the short drive. SLAB Pizza is widely regarded as one of the best pizza places in Provo — they really live up to their name. Casual, fast, feeds a group without drama.

Station 22 — A local Provo fixture on Center Street with a comfortable, neighborhood-bar vibe, and one of the better spots in town to watch a scoreboard before heading to the game.

Communal — Upscale farm-to-table on Center Street downtown, excellent if you're doing a proper sit-down dinner before a night game. Reservations are smart on game weekends.

Do not show up with a backpack. Do not show up with a clear gallon Ziploc thinking you've gamed the system. LaVell Edwards Stadium has adopted a NO bag policy. Small clutch bags, no larger than 5" x 8" x 1", with or without a handle or strap can be taken into the stadium. Medically necessary items (including diaper bags) will be permitted after inspection. This is stricter than most Big 12 venues — there's no clear bag alternative, just the tiny clutch or nothing.

There are sometimes long lines to get tickets scanned at Gate 1, in the southwest corner of the stadium, especially as it gets closer to kickoff, while other gates are relatively quiet. Use Gate 3 or Gate 5 if you want a faster entry. Starting three and a half hours before kickoff, fans can enjoy pre-game events at Cougar Canyon, located directly west of LaVell Edwards Stadium, as well as The Backyard at Cougar Canyon, south of the stadium on Helaman Fields. No outside food or drink is permitted into the stadium. Gates typically open about 90 minutes before kickoff. Download your mobile ticket before leaving your hotel — stadium Wi-Fi helps, but you don't want to be the person fumbling with a loading screen at the gate.

Seating accommodations for guests in wheelchairs or with other physical disabilities are available at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Wheelchair seating is located on the upper and lower concourses of the West Stands and on the lower concourse of the East Stands. Wheelchair section seat tickets are required for ticketed events. With each wheelchair-accessible ticket, up to three companion tickets are also available for purchase if available, though typically only one companion seat is guaranteed in the wheelchair section.

Assisted listening devices are available at the Stadium Management Office, just inside Gate 3. Guests will be asked to leave a valid driver's license as collateral in exchange for the device. The 2024 renovation also increased the number of accessible seating options. The stadium increased the number of accessible seating options available during that offseason upgrade. Contact the BYU Ticket Office ahead of your visit for specific accommodation needs.

There is no designated away section at LaVell Edwards Stadium — visiting fans are distributed throughout the general seating based on where they bought tickets. In practice, you'll find away fans gravitating toward the east stands, particularly in the upper sections where resale tickets tend to be cheaper and scrutiny is lower. Sections in the 60s and 70s on the east side offer good sightlines across the natural grass field.

The ROC (student section) is in the north end zone and creates a loud and spirited atmosphere. Avoid buying tickets near the north end zone if you want a calm environment — that's where the decibel level peaks. If it's a day game, there is precious little relief from the sun, except in the late afternoon when the sun begins to set behind the press/suite tower on the west side of the stadium's seating bowl. West side upper deck seats are shaded earlier; east side bakes in direct sun for afternoon games. For sightlines, the west sideline from Sections 1–10 offers the best mid-field views — but those seats are heavily held by season-ticket holders and won't come cheap on resale.

It's a dry venue — no alcohol. Full stop, no exceptions, no beer garden outside. On the concession front, the BYU Creamery stands sell ice cream made on campus, and the Cougar Tail — a footlong, maple-frosted donut — is a standout item worth tracking down. Specialty carts throughout the concourses offer barbecue, loaded hot dogs, Korean BBQ bowls and more alongside the standard stadium staples. Expect to pay $8–$12 for a meal item and $4–$6 for a non-alcoholic drink; no outside food or drink is permitted inside.

The game experience at Edwards Stadium is worth a visit for the stadium views and the genteel atmosphere created by one of the most polite fan bases in all of college football. That's not a euphemism — BYU fans are genuinely friendly in a way that can disarm an away fan who's been to SEC road games and knows what hostility looks like. You will be welcomed, offered directions, and possibly asked if you need help finding your seat. What you will also get is a stadium that is loud in the right moments, especially when the Cougars are rolling — the natural bowl shape traps crowd noise effectively, and the ROC student section in the north end zone can sustain a real din. One specific thing to know: the tunnel area between the north and west stands is partitioned off during games. The area between the north and west stands immediately next to the field will be partitioned off throughout the game to allow the visiting team access from their locker room to the field — this blocks access from the tunnel that runs under the west stands, a requirement under Big 12 policy. Don't expect to slip through there to move between sections.

Transit (UVX): Please board UVX buses as quickly as possible after the game to make a return trip to Provo Station. The UVX BYU Stadium stop on University Parkway fills up fast post-game. The UVX BYU Stadium station toward Provo Central is on the south side of University Parkway, near the baseball field. Get there within 10 minutes of the final whistle — buses run frequently but lines build quickly and you could be waiting 20–30 minutes if you dally. FrontRunner holds its post-game train for returning UVX buses, so missing the first bus isn't fatal, but the second wave is slower.

Driving: Canyon Road heading south and University Parkway heading west are both gridlocked for 30–45 minutes after the final whistle on a sold-out game. Game day traffic on 900 East is heavy. Lots on the east side of campus tend to clear slightly faster than the west stadium lots, which are bottlenecked by the same roads everyone else is using. Realistically, budget 45–60 minutes from parking spot to moving road if you leave immediately after the game.

Rideshare: Surge pricing kicks in quickly after the final whistle — we're talking 1.5x–2x baseline. Walk four or five blocks east or south of the stadium toward quieter residential streets and you'll pay meaningfully less and wait less. The UVX stop area on University Parkway draws Uber/Lyft drivers but also concentrates 10,000 people simultaneously — not ideal.

The one opinionated tip: Wait 25 minutes after the game ends. Grab a Cougar Tail donut at a concession stand if there's one left, let the main wave drain out, and then walk to the UVX or your car. You'll cut your actual exit time roughly in half.

How do I get to LaVell Edwards Stadium without a car?

Take UTA's Utah Valley Express (UVX), Route 830X, which runs through Provo and Orem. Ride FrontRunner commuter rail to Provo Central Station, then transfer to the UVX — BYU is just an 18-minute bus ride from Provo Central Station.

What is the bag policy at LaVell Edwards Stadium?

LaVell Edwards Stadium has a NO bag policy. Small clutch bags, no larger than 5" x 8" x 1", with or without a handle or strap, are the only bags permitted. There is no clear bag alternative — it's clutch or nothing.

How much does parking cost at LaVell Edwards Stadium? General campus lots run approximately $20–$30 for pre-purchased passes. On average, resale parking passes cost around $48 , and prices spike considerably for premium or high-demand games. Arrive early — the lots immediately adjacent to the stadium are reserved for pass holders.

Is alcohol available inside LaVell Edwards Stadium? No. Alcohol and tobacco are not permitted anywhere on BYU Campus, including inside the stadium or in its parking lots. This is a firm BYU policy, not a Utah state law quirk.

Where is the best seating for away fans? There's no formal away section. Upper east-side sections offer the best combination of value, sightlines, and proximity to other visiting fans who also bought on the secondary market.

What time do gates open at LaVell Edwards Stadium? Gates typically open approximately 90 minutes before kickoff. The Stadium Management Office, located just inside Gate 3, opens as soon as guests are permitted into the stadium.

Can I bring food or drink into the stadium?

No outside food or drink will be permitted. Empty water bottles are allowed, however — many fans in the know carry empty water bottles in to use at the free water refilling stations throughout the concourses.

What airport should I fly into?

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is the primary entry point for travelers heading to Provo. It's about 45 miles north of the stadium. There is no major airport in Provo itself.