Ross Island

Ross Island is a volcanic island in McMurdo Sound, off the coast of Antarctica, discovered in 1841 by the British explorer James Clark Ross. It is one of the largest Antarctic islands, with an area of roughly 2,460 square kilometres, and includes the active volcano Mount Erebus.

The island combines active volcanic landscape and historic exploration sites. Visitors who land as part of regulated Antarctic cruises or scientific programs see steaming volcanic vents, large nunataks and several early 20th-century expedition huts at places such as Cape Royds and Cape Evans. Scientific teams based nearby use the island for monitoring volcanism and polar research; public visits are short and highly managed.

Ross Island was charted by the Ross expedition in 1841 and later served as a base area for British, American and New Zealand Antarctic programs. Early 20th-century structures include wooden field huts left by the Discovery, Nimrod and Terra Nova expeditions, which have been conserved as historic monuments under international agreements.

Geographically the island sits in McMurdo Sound adjacent to the Ross Sea. It hosts permanent research infrastructure on its shores and lies immediately south of the Antarctic Circle, close to the logistic hubs of McMurdo Station and Scott Base on nearby coastal ground.

• Access and visitation: Accessible only by ice-capable vessel or aircraft operating under Antarctic Treaty rules; tourist visits are tightly regulated and usually part of organized Antarctic cruise itineraries.
• Historic-hut restrictions: Several historic huts date from early 20th-century British expeditions and are conserved as archaeological sites; they are fragile and visits are restricted to protect fabric and artifacts.

What to See #

• Historic huts (Cape Royds, Cape Evans, Hut Point): Small cluster of named sites on the island's coast that relate to early 20th-century Antarctic exploration, including purpose-built wooden huts, supply caches and landing points used by historic expeditions.
• Mount Erebus: Active volcanic summit dominating the island and region; site of ongoing scientific monitoring with year-round fumarolic activity.
• McMurdo / Scott Base area: Research and logistics locations used by modern Antarctic programs, including the adjacent McMurdo Station and New Zealand's Scott Base on the island's shores.