Thor’s Well – Cape Perpetua, Yachats, Oregon

Located on the central Pacific coast of Orgeon, Thor’s Well is a beloved water feature that locals have called “the drainpipe of the Pacific.”

With its round mouth and dramatic, violent sloshings, the feature  looks sinister and mysterious. An entire local mythology has sprung up around it, with stories saying that the hole leads directly to the underworld. In truth, the hole is no deeper than 20 feet.

Thor’s Well is inside Cape Perpetua, which is a headland inside Siuslaw National Forest. As waves from the Pacific pound the rocky shore, Thor’s Well gushes dramatically.

Best seen within an hour  before or after high tide, visitors can see angry waves fill the bottom, raising the level until water bubbles or sprays out of the top.

Sometimes people do fall in. Forest rangers urge caution near the feature, as violent sprays or sneaker waves can easily wash onlookers into the well’s maw. But, those unlucky few are usually retrieved with only scrapes and bruises, and not transported to the underworld.

To see it yourself, park South of the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center, at the Cook’s Chasm pull out. From there, you can take steps down to the craggy shore for a better look, or safely view it from the lookouts above.