About this Location

Facility Overview

The South Lot at 400 University Drive is a spacious, paved open-air surface parking facility serving the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Fond du Lac campus (formerly UW-Fond du Lac) and the surrounding educational and recreational district in east Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Positioned on the southern side of the campus core, this ground-level parking area features wide drive aisles, intuitive circulation, and clearly marked bays designed to accommodate high-volume student, staff, and public visitor traffic. Because the facility is entirely uncovered surface parking, it offers completely unobstructed vertical clearance, making it exceptionally well-suited for high-profile vehicles including full-size pickup trucks, large SUVs, passenger vans, campus utility vehicles, and roof-rack-equipped automobiles that cannot navigate standard covered parking decks.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Conveniently nestled along the University Drive corridor, the South Lot offers immediate pedestrian connectivity to key academic, cultural, and outdoor destinations:

UW-Oshkosh, Fond du Lac Campus: Directly connects via paved campus walkways to the University Center, academic halls, lecture spaces, science laboratories, and campus administrative offices (under a 2 to 4-minute walk).
Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum: Situated adjacent to the campus grounds, visitors can easily reach over 40 acres of restored native Wisconsin prairie, nature walking trails, an educational arboretum, wildlife viewing areas, and formal display gardens (3 to 5-minute walk).
Prairie Theater & Cultural Venues: Provides prime event parking for community lectures, performing arts productions, and public workshops hosted on the campus.
Fond du Lac High School & Athletic Complex: Located just south across Campus Drive and Martin Avenue, making the lot a convenient secondary staging or overflow option for seasonal community athletic events and school functions.
Local Dining & Services: Quick 3 to 5-minute drive to East Johnson Street (State Highway 23), offering a dense collection of restaurants, coffee shops, grocery outlets, and convenience stops.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

The South Lot is easily accessible via University Drive and Campus Drive, which connect directly to major thoroughfares including East Johnson Street (State Highway 23) and Fond du Lac Avenue (State Highway 45). Interstate 41 is reachable within an 8 to 10-minute drive westward, facilitating smooth regional travel from Oshkosh, Appleton, and Milwaukee. Ingress and egress are streamlined through dedicated curb cuts along the campus perimeter road, allowing smooth vehicle disbursement even at peak class dismissal hours or following campus auditorium events. Local public transit riders can connect to Fond du Lac City Transit bus routes operating along adjacent arterial streets, providing straightforward car-free access across Fond du Lac.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

Generous Open Headroom: Zero height restrictions, allowing hassle-free access for tall trucks, vans, and vehicles with rooftop accessories.
ADA Accessible Parking: Dedicated, van-accessible disability stalls with level curb-free access to paved campus pedestrian walkways.
Safety & Illumination: High-efficiency overhead pole lighting illuminating driving lanes and pedestrian paths from dusk until dawn.
Campus Security Presence: Monitored periodically by campus safety patrols and local municipal law enforcement.
Well-Maintained Surface: Smooth asphalt paving, high-visibility stall striping, and regular winter snow and ice clearance.

Ideal For

Students, Faculty & Staff: Seamless, front-door parking for daily lectures, administrative meetings, and library study sessions.
Nature Lovers & Walkers: Nature enthusiasts heading directly to the scenic trails and native flora of the Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum.
Campus Event Attendees: Convenient parking for visitors attending public performances, guest speakers, or community seminars at the campus center and Prairie Theater.
High-Profile Vehicle Drivers: Drivers of oversized trucks, commercial vans, or cargo vehicles needing stress-free, open-sky parking.

Visitor & Driver Tips

During the active fall and spring academic semesters, the South Lot experiences its highest parking occupancy between 9:00 AM and 1:30 PM on weekdays; arriving 15 minutes before scheduled lectures or meetings will help you secure spots closest to academic buildings. Be sure to check posted campus signage upon entry regarding student/staff permit regulations and designated visitor spaces to avoid parking citations. If you are visiting Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum for an afternoon hike or photography walk, park along the southern or eastern edges of the lot for the most direct footpath access to the trailheads.