Facility Overview

Bison Lot 2, commonly known across campus as the Roskie Lot, is a dedicated open-air surface parking facility situated on the southern residential edge of the Montana State University (MSU) campus in Bozeman, Montana. Located directly adjacent to Roskie Hall and framed by West Lincoln Street and South 12th Avenue, this lot primarily caters to on-campus dorm residents holding university Bison parking permits. Designed as a single-level asphalt lot, it provides direct, ground-level vehicle access without ramps, pillars, or low-hanging structural ceilings. The completely open-air layout means there are no vertical clearance limits, making it fully accessible for lifted 4x4 pickup trucks, full-size SUVs, vehicles fitted with rooftop ski racks or cargo boxes, and high-roof transit vans commonly driven throughout the Gallatin Valley.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Strategically positioned near MSU’s major student residential communities, athletic complexes, and recreational hubs, Bison Lot 2 offers outstanding foot accessibility to key campus landmarks:

• Roskie Hall, South Hedges, & North Hedges: Situated immediately beside Roskie Hall and within a 2- to 4-minute walk of the Hedges high-rise residence towers and Rendezvous / Miller Dining Commons.
• Brick Breeden Fieldhouse: Located approximately 0.3 miles to the east (a 6- to 8-minute walk), hosting Montana State Bobcats basketball games, winter track events, trade expos, and headline concerts.
• Bobcat Stadium: Situated roughly half a mile southeast (an 8- to 10-minute walk), allowing straightforward pedestrian access on Montana State football game days.
• Marga Hosaeus Health & PE Center: Only 5 minutes north on foot, offering indoor fitness facilities, swimming pools, and courts.
• Museum of the Rockies: About a 15-minute walk or a 3-minute drive southeast, featuring world-renowned dinosaur paleontology exhibits and planetarium shows.
• Centennial Mall & Strand Union Building (SUB): A picturesque 8- to 12-minute walk northward brings visitors to the university's central academic core, student bookstores, and campus event spaces.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Navigating to Bison Lot 2 is straightforward from Bozeman's primary arterial corridors. Drivers arriving from Interstate 90 can exit at North 19th Avenue, drive south directly past main campus, and turn east onto West Lincoln Street or West Kagy Boulevard before connecting via South 12th Avenue. Multiple ingress and egress curb cuts allow traffic to disperse efficiently before and after residential move-in peaks and campus athletic events. Bozeman’s fare-free Streamline Bus system serves stops along Lincoln Street and 11th Avenue, while regional transit riders benefit from the direct Skyline Bus stop at Roskie Hall, connecting commuters straight to Big Sky Resort and Town Center.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

• Open-Air Surface Parking: Level asphalt stalls featuring clear directional lane markings and wide circulation lanes.
• Unrestricted Headroom: Ample overhead clearance suitable for tall vehicles, roof-mounted ski boxes, bicycle racks, and light commercial vehicles.
• Automated Campus Enforcement: Monitored by MSU Parking Services using high-accuracy License Plate Recognition (LPR) camera systems.
• Campus Safety Infrastructure: Illuminated by overhead lighting fixtures and integrated into the MSU Police patrol perimeter, with nearby campus blue light emergency poles.
• ADA Accessibility: Designated accessible parking stalls equipped with compliant access aisles and dropped curbs leading onto paved walking paths.
• Winter Maintenance: Periodically plowed and salted by MSU Facilities Services during heavy winter snowstorms to maintain driveability.

Ideal For

• MSU Residence Hall Students: Long-term semester and academic-year permit parking for students living in Roskie Hall, Hedges, and adjacent dormitories.
• Bobcat Athletics Spectators: Visitors and fans walking over to Brick Breeden Fieldhouse and Bobcat Stadium during designated public event parking windows.
• Big Sky Commuters: Outdoor enthusiasts boarding the seasonal Skyline bus departing from the adjacent Roskie Hall transit stop.
• Campus Visitors & Guests: Families dropping off or picking up students, moving into residence halls, or attending university-sponsored campus tours.

Visitor & Driver Tips

MSU strictly regulates campus parking, and license plates serve as your virtual permit under the university's digital LPR system—always make sure your vehicle is registered correctly through the MSU Parking Portal before leaving your car. Standard campus permit regulations typically apply from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, with relaxed rules on weekends, but always verify posted signage at the lot entrance as residential Bison zones may enforce 24/7 restrictions. During home football games, certain lots near athletics facilities switch to reserved gameday staging; double-check the Bobcat Athletics gameday parking map prior to arrival. In winter months, keep an ice scraper handy and adhere to university snow removal notices to avoid plowing-related citations.