Red Rocks Parking Guide

Understanding the Venue’s Parking Layout

In the image of the Red Rocks Park Map, you’ll see where the Red Rocks parking lots are located, and below, we’ll dive into our list of favorite places to park (and why). While some lots are closer to the venue than others, they all require some walking and elevation gain, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes and arrive slightly early.

Traffic at Red Rocks

Red Rocks can get extremely congested with traffic, so arriving early is a great bet for securing the best spots. For EDM and Jam bands, traffic usually isn't as congested, as visitors often pack in a car or party bus for these shows. In contrast, shows for country artists or comedians usually have fewer people packed into each vehicle, leading to more cars and more traffic.

The Journey From the Parking Lots

All Red Rocks lots are below the venue, so even if you aren’t heading to the top of the seating sections, be prepared for a little exercise walking in. The elevation at the top of Red Rocks is around 6,450 feet, and many of the parking lots require long walks with significant elevation gain.

Many routes to the amphitheater are dirt paths, so make sure you wear comfortable shoes that you don't mind getting dirty. Bring water, don't be afraid to take breaks, and keep an eye out for wildlife as you make your journey to the venue. The walk to the venue can be difficult, but it can also be a fun pre-show tradition with great views and a taste of the Rocky Mountains. Just try your best to soak it in and enjoy it.

For people with accessibility needs, Red Rocks has shuttles that can get people to the venue from the Upper South Lot, Trading Post Lot, and the Top Circle Lot.

Top 9 Best Places to Park at Red Rocks (From Best to Worst)

1. Upper South Lot

   The Upper South Lot is hands down the best parking lot at Red Rocks. It's the closest lot to an entrance/exit (Entrance 3), which means an easy escape from the park after the event. And it's also the closest to the venue, with the smallest increase in elevation to the amphitheatre.

   To score a spot in this ideal location, you’ll want to park at least an hour and a half before the event. In previous years, this lot has occasionally been closed due to construction. Recently, the lot has been reopened, so it's always worth checking out if there are any spots available.

   To get here, enter at Entrance 3, take a left at the first fork, and it will be on your left. It takes just a few minutes to leave the park from this lot. This is also the main designated accessible parking lot for event goers in rows 1, 2, or 3. The accessibility shuttle runs consistently to and from the accessible seats. There are also some first-come, first-served electric charging stations here. We recommend getting to the venue early to secure a charger if you want one.

2. Triangle Lot

   The Triangle Lot is a very small, triangle-shaped lot adjacent to The Upper South Lot. On the map, you can see the brown triangle located south of the venue along Ship Rock Road. This lot has roughly 25 first-come, first-served spaces. It’s very close to the South Ramp into the venue, making for a quick and easy venture to and from the amphitheatre.

   The downside of being so close to the venue is that you’ll usually have to arrive hours before the show to find a spot here. If you do, you can tailgate at your car until the show, and you’ll have one of the best parking spots in the entire park.

3. Upper North Lot

   The Upper North Lot is a highly sought-after parking lot as well, as it's very close to the venue. For this reason, like the others mentioned so far, it fills up quickly. You won't have much of a chance to park here unless you arrive at the venue an hour and a half before the show starts (or earlier). However, it can be worth it if you want a shorter walk to your seat.

   When you arrive, it's a long and winding road to the top to reach this lot, which is the furthest lot from an entrance. Therefore, when the show is over, it's also a long and winding road down. Budget extra time for exiting from this lot, as you will also run into traffic from the Lower North Lot. It can take up to 45 minutes to leave the park from the Upper North Lot via the one-lane road to Entrance 1.

   If you choose Upper North Lot, be prepared for a fairly short trek to the venue and a long venture out of the park. Leave the show a little early to skip traffic from this lot if you prefer. Or, play your favorites from the concert in the car and bask in the moment a little while longer while you wait in traffic.

4. Half Moon Parking Lot and Small Parking Lot

   These two parking lots are hidden gems. With just 21 spots in Half Moon Parking Lot and 18 plus a few street spots in Small Parking Lot, these lots are so secretive that they aren't even on any of Red Rocks' maps. However, you can find them on Google Maps. For your convenience, they're marked on the map above with a red dot (Half Moon Lot) and a blue dot (Small Parking Lot).

   Both of these lots are great options for fast entry and exit. You can usually sneak out of the park via Entrance 2 without dealing with traffic from the Upper and Lower North Lots. While you will have a fairly long hike from the lot to the venue, these lots may be worth it if you prefer a convenient entrance and exit from the park. For those who arrive an hour or more before the event starts, these lots can be great hidden gem options.

5. Lower South Lots 1 and 2

   The Lower South Lots are close to each other and close to entrances, while being a bit farther from the venue. Lower South 1 is the better option of the two, since it's closer to the venue and the same distance from an entrance.

   The perks of these lots are that they are the last to fill up in the park, and they offer a fairly quick exit from the park. While you may encounter traffic trying to get out of the parking lots themselves, the roads out of the park from these lots are rarely congested. It usually takes only about 10 minutes to leave the park at the end of the night from the Lower South Lot. Large RV and Bus Parking is also located at the back (south side) of Lower South Lot 2.

   These spacious lots feature a slightly longer walk to the venue. However, since they fill up last, you can arrive close to the event's start time and still have a shot at getting a parking spot in these lots.

6. Lower North Lot

   The Lower North Lot is last on our list. It usually fills up about 30 minutes before show time so is oftentimes the best option if you're arriving close to the event's start. However, it is far from the venue. There are two routes to get to the venue from this lot. The first is to head up to W. Alameda Parkway, climb a short steep set of stairs and then hike up the road to the venue's entrance. Second, Head south down Trading Post Road until you get to the half moon lot. Then climb a very steep set of stairs stretching over a tenth of a mile. Neither option is ideal, which is why this lot is last on our list. It can also take up to 45 minutes to leave the park from here, because you'll be fighting traffic from the Upper North Lot as well.

7. Trading Post Lot

   The Trading post Lot is reserved for attendees with accessibility needs, especially those sitting in rows 1, 2, or 3. This lot is in a great location because you can exit via entrance 3, or entrance 2, and usually only takes a few minutes once you make it back to your vehicle. Assuming you don't take the shuttle, it's fairly close to the venue, so it is easy to hike your way to and from the venue's doors. There are also EV charging stations located in the Trading Post Lot.

8. Top Circle Lot

   The Top Circle Lot is reserved for Limousines, and accessibility parking. It is first come first serve for the accessibility parking, so it's necessary to get there extremely early to capture a spot. This is ideal because the entrance to the venue is only steps away from this lot, but traffic can be terrible coming from this deep in the park, and it can take up to 45 minutes to leave the venue after the show ends. The advantage, however, is that because the lot is so close to the venue, you often get to your car first for a head start.

9. Street Parking

   Last on our list is street parking throughout the park. This is a hassle, you rarely get close to the venue and there are hundreds of horror stories about people being unable to find their cars at the end of the night. This should be the last resort when parking at Red Rocks, though in many cases this does allow for an incredibly easy exit in just minutes. So if that's a priority for you, parking on the streets might not be such a bad option for you.

Driving Directions to Red Rocks

Traffic in Morrison can be tough on event days, and some entrances are busier than others. If you arrive over an hour before the event, then traffic should be fine, but we know that sometimes it's just not feasible to arrive that early, so here are our recommendations to navigate traffic as best as possible.

Coming from I70

When you come from I70, taking exit 259 to Morrison is the most straightforward option. Oftentimes, it's the best option too, especially for shows that are not sold out, or are during the weekdays. Once you take the exit, head south on 93 and you'll first run into Entrance 1 first. We recommend going past entrance 1, as this mostly just leads to the North lots. Entrance 2 is great to get to the South Lots, Half Moon and Small Parking Lot. Personally, I always enter the park via entrance 2. Finally, if you want to enter via entrance 3, we recommend taking 470 to get to Hwy 74. From there Entrance 3 will be on your right and you'll be good to go.

Coming from South of Red Rocks

If you are coming from 285 or from 470, then we recommend using Entrance 3 or in some cases Entrance 2. It can be a bit of a hassle to get to Entrance 1 from here so we suggest avoiding that altogether. Usually, there is less traffic coming from the South so this is a much easier trip.

Red Rocks Tickets

Now that you're an expert in getting to Red Rocks and knowing where to park, you can relax and prepare for an unforgettable evening at Red Rocks. If you haven't already, browse all Red Rocks events and buy tickets to see it live, right here on our Red Rocks Tickets Page!