#5 of 26 sights in Crater Lake
Sight · Crater Lake National Park
A jagged volcanic island that wears a ship's shape in fog.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Crater Lake Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Crater Lake National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Crater Lake audio tourRecorded for this place
Phantom Ship Overlook“You're nearing Phantom Ship Overlook, a roadside stop for the lake's small, jagged island. I'd keep this one if you want to make out the dark spires that gave Phantom Ship its name.”
Plays as you drive up to Phantom Ship Overlook in the Parkwolf Crater Lake Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Phantom Ship Overlook is a roadside viewpoint on East Rim Drive, facing one of Crater Lake's two islands. The National Park Service calls it one of Rim Drive's best views of Phantom Ship, and I'd keep it in your drive if you want to see why the dark spires earned their name. Visitors describe a short walk or loop from the parking area; the route length and accessible approach aren't specified.
The island is about 170 feet tall and 500 feet long, but from the rim its narrow, jagged profile is what you notice: dark spires that can read as masts above drooping sails. The resemblance is strongest in fog. Binoculars help pick out the rock's finer edges when it looks small against the lake. For a photo, leave open water around the island so its spires read clearly apart from the caldera wall.
Phantom Ship is a resistant remnant of an ancient volcanic cone engulfed by Mount Mazama as the mountain grew. Its vent shared an underground conduit with Mazama, and the rock survived the eruption and collapse that left Crater Lake. The exposed andesite is more than 400,000 years old, the oldest rock identified in the basin.
Wildlife
16 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
178 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
26 sightingsCommon RavenMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
33 sightingsTurkey VultureMost seen around 1 PMSighting map
47 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
71 sightingsCascades FrogMost seen around 5 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Crater Lake. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyPlaikni Falls Trail2 mi · 1 hr · 1 mi awayA gentle forest walk to a waterfall, with a brief final climb.
EasySun Notch Trail0.8 mi · 36 min · 1.6 mi awayA short loop through a pumice meadow to Phantom Ship.
ChallengingMount Scott Trail4.4 mi · 3 hr · 2.3 mi awayClimb for the park’s only full-lake view.
ModerateGrayback Road8 mi · 4 hr · 2.5 mi awayA broad, quiet forest walk along an old rim road
ModerateCrater Peak Trail6.5 mi · 3.5 hr · 2.6 mi awayA forested climb to a volcanic summit above the Klamath Basin.
ModerateRaven Trail2 mi · 2.5 hr · 3.4 mi awayA marked winter climb to the caldera rim.
EasyLady of the Woods Trail0.7 mi · 36 min · 3.4 mi awayA short history loop to a weathered forest carving.
EasyCastle Crest Trail0.5 mi · 36 min · 3.5 mi awayA short loop around a spring-fed wildflower meadow.
Scenic pullout · 0.8 mi awayReflection PointA long stone parapet frames another view of Phantom Ship.
Scenic pullout · 0.9 mi awayVictor ViewA quick lake stop with a story built into the east-rim stonework.Sight · 1.2 mi awayPlaikni FallsA shaded forest walk ends at a snowmelt-fed waterfall.
Sight · 1.2 mi awayPumice Castle OverlookAn orange pumice castle breaks up the dark caldera wall.
Sight · 1.5 mi awaySun Notch OverlookAn uphill walk reaches Phantom Ship from several rim angles.
Sight · 1.8 mi awayCloudcap OverlookA high east-rim pullout with a sweeping view into the caldera.
Scenic pullout · 2.2 mi awayDutton Ridge PulloutAn east-facing stop for the Klamath Basin beyond the rim.
Picnic area · 2.5 mi awayWhitebark Pine Picnic AreaA quiet picnic stop among high-country whitebark pines.Parkwolf’s Crater Lake ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
