Fort Riley, established in 1852 at the confluence of the Republican and Smokey Hills Rivers, is 10 miles southwest of Manhattan. Manhattan is just 500 miles east of Denver, Colorado, via Interstate 70. Many residents take regular trips to Colorado for summer camping or winter skiing. Vail and Aspen can be reached in one day's drive. Housing Several types of housing are available and housing costs are low.
Many graduate students rent private apartments or houses off campus.
Two dormitories place special emphasis on an atmosphere conducive to studies and are especially designated for single graduate students and upperclass undergraduates. The university's housing for married students is Jardine Terrace, a complex of 576 modern brick apartments located very near the campus. Each group of apartments has a central laundry and a large lawn and play area for children. Bus transportation for children is provided from Jardine Terrace to Manhattan's public schools. The university has a large cooperative child care center providing day care for children aged six weeks to five years.