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The 3 places worth the trip
Places near Carbondale by type
All 247 places by distance →One day from Carbondale
5 stops, one loop, back by 2:39 pm
66 km on the road, in driving order so you don’t double back. Times assume an 8 am start and typical visit lengths.
- Leave Carbondale
- Chautauqua Lakelake · 45 min
- Cedar Lake Damdam · 45 min
- Giant City State Parknature spot · 2 hrs
- Little Grassy Marinalake · 45 min
- Crab Orchard Lakelake · 45 min
- Back in Carbondale
Questions people ask
What are the best places to visit near Carbondale?
WSIU-FM (Carbondale) (lake, about 3 km), Chautauqua Lake (lake, about 9 km), Cedar Lake Dam (dam, about 12 km), Little Grassy Marina (lake, about 14 km), Crab Orchard Lake (lake, about 16 km), Giant City State Park (nature spot, about 17 km).
How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Carbondale?
106 places on Spotwander: 26 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 14 hill stations & viewpoints, 18 wildlife, forests & gardens, 18 forts & heritage, 5 museums.
Which is the nearest lake to Carbondale?
Campus Lake Dam, about 3 km by road; WSIU-FM (Carbondale) (3 km) is next.
Which is the nearest viewpoint to Carbondale?
Devil's Stand Table, about 18 km by road; Crab Orchard Wildlife Viewing Area (18 km) is next.
What is a good one-day trip from Carbondale?
Start in Carbondale, visit Chautauqua Lake, then Cedar Lake Dam, then Giant City State Park, then Little Grassy Marina, then Crab Orchard Lake, and drive back — about 66 km by road in all.




















