Cape Perpetua State Park
Cook's Chasm
Over a long period of time, pounding waves steadily widened a fracture in the rocks forming Cook’s Chasm. The edge of the chasm was undercut, creating a cave. Finally, the top of the cave collapsed, setting the stage for the Spouting Horn.
At high tide, you can see the ocean in the action with crashing waves, foaming cisterns, salt water explosions, and the magic sinkhole Thor's Well that swallows sea water. At low tide, the area exhibits acres of tide pools full of anemones, starfishes, urchins, and saltwater algae. For a closer look, hike down the Cook’s Chasm Trail.
Spouting Horn
Spouting Horn is a playful coastal anomaly, an “ocean geyser”, driven by the ocean power through a deep hole. Incoming waves funnel seawater and air into the cave, building pressure until the water explodes in a geyser-like fountain. Spouting Horn is similar to a whale exhaling or ”spout”.
While hiking along the 0.75-mile round-trip Captain Cook Trail, you can find fascinating tidepools creatures at low tide, mountains of mussel shells left by generations of Alsea Indians who harvested them hundreds of years ago remains of a 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps camp and the spectacular Spouting Horn.
Devil's Churn is a narrow shoreline channel in the ancient volcanic rock, located south of Yachats. Tides and power waves created a deep fissure in a basalt shoreline. The channel fills with each ocean wave, sometimes creating exposures.
Thor's Well or "Gate to Hell" at Cook's Chasm is a deep hole in the basalt rocks roughly around 20 feet deep. Moving upward water shoots to 20 feet high. The best time to see these spectacular sites during high tides and storms, a period of time an hour before high tide to an hour after high tide.
Spectacular and fantastic features of Cook's Chasm attract thousands of tourists and photographers each year. However, this popular site can be really dangerous, especially during high tides and storms when large and power waves are coming. Sneaker waves can come at any time. There is not any available statistics regarding death cases, but sometimes you'll find news reports about victims that were swept into the ocean at Thor's Well.
Cautions: Use caution when exploring the rocky coast, churn, and spouting horns of water. Beware of sneaker waves and slippery rocks. Never turn your back on the ocean. Stay behind railings and back from undercut chasm edges.
Over a long period of time, pounding waves steadily widened a fracture in the rocks forming Cook’s Chasm. The edge of the chasm was undercut, creating a cave. Finally, the top of the cave collapsed, setting the stage for the Spouting Horn.
At high tide, you can see the ocean in the action with crashing waves, foaming cisterns, salt water explosions, and the magic sinkhole Thor's Well that swallows sea water. At low tide, the area exhibits acres of tide pools full of anemones, starfishes, urchins, and saltwater algae. For a closer look, hike down the Cook’s Chasm Trail.
Spouting Horn
Spouting Horn is a playful coastal anomaly, an “ocean geyser”, driven by the ocean power through a deep hole. Incoming waves funnel seawater and air into the cave, building pressure until the water explodes in a geyser-like fountain. Spouting Horn is similar to a whale exhaling or ”spout”.
While hiking along the 0.75-mile round-trip Captain Cook Trail, you can find fascinating tidepools creatures at low tide, mountains of mussel shells left by generations of Alsea Indians who harvested them hundreds of years ago remains of a 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps camp and the spectacular Spouting Horn.
Devil's Churn is a narrow shoreline channel in the ancient volcanic rock, located south of Yachats. Tides and power waves created a deep fissure in a basalt shoreline. The channel fills with each ocean wave, sometimes creating exposures.
Thor's Well or "Gate to Hell" at Cook's Chasm is a deep hole in the basalt rocks roughly around 20 feet deep. Moving upward water shoots to 20 feet high. The best time to see these spectacular sites during high tides and storms, a period of time an hour before high tide to an hour after high tide.
Spectacular and fantastic features of Cook's Chasm attract thousands of tourists and photographers each year. However, this popular site can be really dangerous, especially during high tides and storms when large and power waves are coming. Sneaker waves can come at any time. There is not any available statistics regarding death cases, but sometimes you'll find news reports about victims that were swept into the ocean at Thor's Well.
Cautions: Use caution when exploring the rocky coast, churn, and spouting horns of water. Beware of sneaker waves and slippery rocks. Never turn your back on the ocean. Stay behind railings and back from undercut chasm edges.
