Our beautiful location near the Shawnee National Forest

Carbondale is a classic university town located in a beautiful setting next to the majestic Shawnee National Forest. The population of 47,000 includes 21,000 university students of diverse ethnic and social backgrounds, and an array of cultural, social, and athletic events are held throughout the year. Carbondale’s restaurants, one-of-a-kind shops, community concerts, and public art reflect the richness of SIU’s international student body. For more information about the city of Carbondale, visit www.ci.carbondale.il.us.

Our location in southern Illinois is just a short drive from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana.  Amtrak offers twice daily train service to Chicago, Memphis, and New Orleans.  Great Lakess Airlines offers regional air service to St. Louis, Missouri.

The University Mall features Old Navy, Macy's, JC Penney, Bed Bath and Beyond, The GAP outlet, and a stadium-seating Kerasotes Showplace 8 theater. Other Carbondale stores include Best Buy, Blockbuster Video, and Barnes and Noble Bookstores. Restaurants include local favorites like Quatros, Mary Lou’s, and Tres Hombres, as well as chains like Applebees, Lone-Star Steakhouse, Houlihan’s and Panera Bread.

Did you know??

Covering 3,290 acres, the campus includes Evergreen Park, Campus Lake, and Thompson Woods – a wooded tract preserved in the tradition of the native upland forests of southern Illinois.

The area abounds in recreational opportunities, including hiking trails, mountain biking, bluffs for repelling, horse trails, and campgrounds. Giant City State Park, located in the Shawnee National Forest, is 10 minutes south of the School of Law. Crab Orchard Natural Wildlife Refuge, 10 minutes east of the School, consists of 43,000 acres of land and three lakes for boating and other water sports.