SportsQuest
All games

Week 11, Fri, Nov 13, 8:15 PM local on ESPN

Houston Cougarsat Colorado Buffaloes

Folsom Field, Boulder. Fly into DEN.

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What we know about Folsom Field

Where visiting fans stay

Checked at the source
  • The Hill. Walk. Limelight Boulder and Moxy Boulder sit directly across from campus, steps from The Sink and the 13th Street bars.
  • Downtown Boulder and Pearl Street. 1 mile. HOP or SKIP bus, e-bike or walk. Hotel Boulderado, St Julien and Hyatt Place Pearl Street are here, along with the Friday night Pearl Street Stampede and the AB1 airport bus stop.
  • Canyon Boulevard. HOP bus or car. CU Athletics lists Residence Inn Boulder Canyon Boulevard and Hilton Garden Inn as lodging partners.
  • Broomfield. Car via US 36. Omni Interlocken, Renaissance Flatiron and Residence Inn Interlocken are CU lodging partners and a fallback when Boulder sells out.

Around the stadium

From a specialist guide
The Hill, along 13th Street between Euclid and Broadway, sits right across from campus with bars, cheap eats and The Sink. Pearl Street and downtown Boulder are one mile north, about 5 to 10 minutes on the HOP or SKIP bus.

Getting in from the airport

From a specialist guide
DEN Denver International Airport. It is about a 45-minute drive to Boulder outside rush hour, or about an hour on RTD's AB1 bus to Downtown Boulder Station.

Getting to the stadium

Checked at the source
Free East Campus game-day shuttle to Folsom Field. HOP bus to CU Boulder campus and The Hill. SKIP bus on Broadway to Broadway at The Hill. RTD AB1 from the airport, about 60 min to Downtown Boulder Station.

Tailgating

Checked at the source
Campus lots open six hours before kickoff, no earlier than 8 AM, and close one hour after the event. Main campus lots are $35 and fill every game; pay by text after you park. No overnight parking and no saving spaces. The official pregame areas are the Franklin Field Tailgate Zone on the east side of the stadium and the Benson Tailgate Zone on Benson Field. Reserved Benson Field tailgate spaces go through the Buff Club ([email protected]). New in 2026: a free pregame street party on Colorado Avenue with food trucks, a giant TV, a DJ and games. Chip's Kids Club for families is on Duane Field. Charcoal and gas grills are allowed in the lots. Deep fryers, oil cooking and open fires are not. No vending or selling in the lots. No open containers on streets, sidewalks, alleys or any public area, and never serve anyone under 21. Inside the stadium, beer and wine are sold at vendor stands. CU Boulder is smoke free, including marijuana and vapes. RVs park in Lot 544 on East Campus for $120, paid by credit card on game day only. Arrive early; spaces go only while room remains. No overnight stays.

Getting in

Checked at the source
  • Bag policy: Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, a one-gallon clear freezer bag, or a small clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches. No backpacks or diaper bags. There are no lockers, and items left at the gates are thrown away.
  • Cashless: Folsom Field is cashless, with no ATMs. Concessions open two hours before kickoff and close with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
  • Re-entry: No re-entry. Once you leave the stadium you cannot come back on the same ticket.

Touring the stadium

Checked at the source
Ralphie, the live buffalo mascot, leads the team onto the field in a horseshoe run before kickoff and again before the second half. Five handlers run with her at up to 25 mph. Be in your seat early so you do not miss it. Greet the team as it arrives on the east side of Folsom Field along Franklin Field. In 2025 the walk started about two and a half hours before kickoff.

After the final whistle

Checked at the source
Expect up to 60 minutes to get out of the campus lots after the game. Traffic leaving campus takes priority for the first hour, so do not try to drive onto campus then. The free East Campus shuttle runs for one hour after the game ends.

One thing to avoid

From a specialist guide
Don't bring a backpack or any bag that is not clear: there are no lockers and items left at the gates are thrown away. Don't leave the stadium mid-game, because there is no re-entry.

Bars near the stadium

Checked at the source

  • The Sink

    1165 13th St, Boulder, CO 80302

    Pizza and burger bar on The Hill since 1923, with walls and ceilings covered in caricatures and customer graffiti. Robert Redford once worked here as a janitor.

    Away fans: everyone; a Boulder must-see for visitors as much as students.

  • West End Tavern

    926 Pearl St, Boulder, CO 80302

    Old Boulder tavern in a building that once housed the police station, with 20 taps, a big whiskey list and a heated rooftop deck facing the Flatirons.

    Away fans: locals' bar that welcomes everyone; good for a post-game whiskey.

  • Post Brewing Co.

    2027 13th St, Boulder, CO 80302

    Brewpub known for gluten-free fried chicken and easy-drinking house beers, listed on CU Athletics' dining guide.

    Away fans: easygoing brewpub; a good group stop the night before.

Sidequests in Boulder

In the order they happen. Each one earns points.

  1. Outing65 points

    Chautauqua Park under the Flatirons

    The Chautauqua grounds opened in 1898 at the foot of the Flatirons. Many of Boulder's best trails start here.

    Free. The day before

  2. Photo40 points

    Flatirons photo

    Tilted sandstone slabs rising above Boulder. The city's signature view.

    Free. The day before

  3. Eat65 points

    Burger at The Sink

    A century-old pizza and burger bar on The Hill. Caricatures and graffiti cover the floor to ceiling.

    $. The day before

  4. Ritual90 points

    Pearl Street Stampede

    The night before each home game, the band and teams parade down Pearl Street Mall. Starts at 7 PM on the 1300 block.

    Free. 18 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  5. Tailgate75 points

    Ralphie's Road street party

    New for 2026: food trucks, a giant TV, a DJ, games. All on Colorado Avenue before kickoff.

    Free. 3 hours before kickoff

  6. Ritual50 points

    Buff Walk on Franklin Field

    Line the path as the team walks into the stadium. It happens on the east side of Folsom Field.

    Free. 2 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  7. Ritual100 points

    Watch Ralphie run

    Ralphie the live buffalo charges around Folsom Field with her handlers before kickoff. One of the great sights in college football.

    Free. 15 minutes before kickoff

Seats and views

Where each part of Folsom Field sits, and what you see from it.

Lower level, end zoneLower level, corner, home sideLower level, home sidelineLower level, corner, home sideLower level, end zoneLower level, corner, visitor sideLower level, visitor sidelineLower level, corner, visitor side200 level, end zone200 level, corner, home side200 level, home sideline200 level, corner, home side200 level, end zone200 level, corner, visitor side200 level, visitor sideline200 level, corner, visitor sideClub level, end zoneClub level, corner, home sideClub level, home sidelineClub level, corner, home sideClub level, end zoneClub level, corner, visitor sideClub level, visitor sidelineClub level, corner, visitor sideEast suite level and above, end zoneEast suite level and above, corner, home sideEast suite level and above, home sidelineEast suite level and above, corner, home sideEast suite level and above, end zoneEast suite level and above, corner, visitor sideEast suite level and above, visitor sidelineEast suite level and above, corner, visitor sideHomeVisitors
Lower level101 to 124; north loge boxes 140 to 179200 level200 to 220Club levelFlatirons Club 301, 302, 401, 402East suite level and above651 to 679; 760 to 771Tap any part of the stadium to see its view.