Slug Crossing Parking and Transportation Information

All information subject to change without notice. Expect delays.

This page only addresses parking and transportation for Slug Crossing. Visit the Commencement page for all other Slug Crossing information.

On Slug Crossing weekend, it can take as long as an hour to get from downtown Santa Cruz to the UCSC campus during peak times. Leaving campus after ceremonies can take equally as long. Please plan accordingly and consider public transit, ride-sharing, or other alternative transportation modes. As a note: there are no bathrooms in the East Field or East Remote Parking Lot, so please plan your travel accordingly. 

Parking Permits

Designated Slug Crossing Parking 

Designated parking for Slug Crossing is located at East Remote Parking Lot 104 and Overflow 5 (located adjacent to East Remote). Please see this map for specific locations of each of these lots. Permit requirements will be suspended in these lots during Slug Crossing weekend.  

Other Lots On Campus 

Parking

Parking at UCSC during Slug Crossing weekend is extremely limited. Due to the large number of people arriving on campus throughout the weekend, graduates and their guests are allowed ONE vehicle per graduate at the East Remote Parking Lot. Please plan to arrive together at East Field at your scheduled Slug Crossing time.

Tip: Be sure to jot down, drop a pin on your app-based map, or otherwise make note of the location where you are parked.

General Slug Crossing Parking

Designated general parking for ceremonies at the East Field is located in East Remote Lot 104.

Please refer to the parking directions below and/or the map here.

Accessible Slug Crossing Parking

If students or guests need accessible parking, the student must include this information in the registration form. Students who request accessible parking will be contacted directly by the Commencement Team three days prior to Slug Crossing. Please note, for guests to access accessible parking areas with a vehicle, they must possess a valid, DMV-issued ADA placard/license plate. 

RV and Oversized Vehicle Parking

Oversized vehicles such as RVs, limos, or trailers must park at the base of campus in the Barn Theater parking lot 122 and will require a valid parking permit. After you park, use the crosswalk to cross Coolidge Drive and board a campus Loop shuttle or METRO bus at the Main Entrance shuttle stop.

Follow Staff Directions

Slug Crossing-designated roadways and parking lots are subject to change based on conditions. University Police and Event Parking staff will be posted at most intersections and in parking lots; please follow their direction. Do not attempt to park elsewhere or ignore instructions.

Directions to Campus:

East Remote Lot 104 (designated parking for East Field ceremonies)

From Highway 1/Mission Street in Santa Cruz, take Bay Drive north towards campus. Continue up Coolidge Drive .42 miles and turn left at the second stoplight onto Hagar Drive. Proceed on Hagar Drive .67 miles and turn into East Remote Lot 104. A parking map is available here.

Transportation

Bus

Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (METRO) routes 10, 18, 19, and 20 travel to and from the UCSC campus and Downtown Santa Cruz; routes, fare information, and schedules are available here.

Complimentary wheelchair lift-equipped van service is provided to our campus community through our Disability Van Service. For more information and to set up a ride, please contact DVS via email at dvs@ucsc.edu or by phone at (831) 459-2829. Service MUST be prearranged. 

Weather Tip: Slug Crossing will take place in open-air venues and involve prolonged exposure to the elements—often heat. We recommend sunscreen, hats, and reusable water containers.

For Students, Staff, and Faculty

UCSC Permit Holders

UCSC permit holders coming to campus for reasons other than Slug Crossing should be aware that vehicular traffic may be heavier than expected. Valid, TAPS-issued parking permits may be used as normal during Slug Crossing weekend.