Places near me Random place
All Antarctica McMurdo Station Castle Rock
AO Edited

Castle Rock

This uniquely shaped slab of volcanic rock has been used by generations of Antarctic explorers.

McMurdo Station, Antarctica

It’s possible to climb to the summit here.   Michael Reinhardt / Atlas Obscura User
The night sky is spectacular in Antarctica.   Joshua Swanson
The rock has helped explorers find their way.   Michael Reinhardt / Atlas Obscura User
Castle Rock can be visited during the summer months.   Michael Reinhardt / Atlas Obscura User
Castle Rock is a volcanic formation.   Michael Reinhardt / Atlas Obscura User
The sun sets over Castle Rock.   Michael Reinhardt / Atlas Obscura User
  Shawb1 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

A large volcanic rock with a flat top and steep sides in the shadow of Mt. Erebus in Antarctica, Castle Rock gets its name from its distinct shape. Ropes have been installed to assist climbers with the ascent. Robert Falcon Scott named the unusual formation after the British National Antarctic Expedition from 1901 to 1904. Subsequent early Arctic explorers continued to use Castle Rock as a navigational landmark.

Today, visitors to the southernmost continent in the summer months can still clamber up the slopes of Castle Rock. There are hiking trails from McMurdo Station and Scott Base, as well as three emergency huts. There's even a fixed line to help climbers reach the top, although this route is not for the feint of heart.

Related Tags

Rocks Landmarks Explorers Exploration Antarctic

Know Before You Go

The hiking route up Castle Rock is considered the most challenging near the station. 

Community Contributors

Edited By

same7120, Shawb1

Published

March 13, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos

Nearby Places

Explore the Destination Guide

Related Places

  • Glen Rock

    Glen Rock, New Jersey

    Glen Rock

    The 570-ton boulder that gave a New Jersey town its name.

  •

    Sudbury, Massachusetts

    Goodnow Kayak

    The Inuit kayak from Robert Peary's 1896 expedition to Greenland is now on display at a local library.

  • Dolores, Colorado

    Memorial Rock

    A boulder so big and tough, they had to turn it into a landmark.

  • Zuma Rock

    Abuja, Nigeria

    Zuma Rock

    This igneous rock monolith towers above the surrounding landscape just outside the Nigerian capital.

  • Source du Nil monument

    Musenyi, Burundi

    Source du Nil

    For millennia, explorers were obsessed with discovering the source of the Nile—is this small mountain stream really the answer?

  • The survey marker.

    Holly Grove, Arkansas

    Louisiana Purchase State Park

    A short boardwalk through a swamp leads to the spot from which the Louisiana Purchase was surveyed.

  • Indian Head

    Lincoln, New Hampshire

    Indian Head

    The Old Man of the Mountain’s less-famous, but still beloved little brother is said to resemble a leader of the Abenaki tribe.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member

Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member