📷 Forest Service Photography, Public domainThor’s Well
Yachats, OR
A hole in the rock shelf at Cape Perpetua that fills and drains with every wave, best around high tide. Walk down from the Cook’s Chasm lot on US-101, and never go close in big swell.
Thor’s Well is in the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area, a few miles south of Yachats. The hole in the basalt shelf is usually described as a collapsed sea cave, about 20 feet (6 m) deep and connected to the ocean. At high tide it fills and drains with every wave, and in heavy surf water shoots up to 40 feet (12 m). It is most impressive from about an hour before to an hour after high tide. Captain Cook named the cape in 1778.
From the small Cook’s Chasm parking lot, a 0.6-mile (1 km) loop leads to the viewpoint. The Captain Cook Trail is paved, but the last stretch crosses uneven basalt. From the visitor center it is about 1 mile (1.6 km) round trip. The hole has no fence and can be dangerous, especially at high tide and in winter storms; the wet basalt is slippery and waves are unpredictable. Keep well back, and in stormy weather view it only from a distance. Spouting Horn is also nearby, at Cook’s Chasm.
- Nearest town
- Yachats, OR
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 44.2787, -124.1134
- Editor's pick
- ★
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April, July and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
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Campsites nearby
- Rock Creek CampgroundCampsite6 mi from Thor’s Well · 15 pitchesTentsCaravansDogs allowed
- Beachside State Recreation SiteCampsite7 mi from Thor’s WellTentsCaravans
- McKinley's RV Park & MarinaMotorhome stopover11 mi from Thor’s WellMotorhomesWi-Fi
- Sutton CampgroundCampsite15 mi from Thor’s WellTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterToilets
- Heceta Beach RV ParkCampsite17 mi from Thor’s WellCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToilets
- South Beach State Park CampgroundCampsite23 mi from Thor’s Well · 287 pitchesTentsCaravansDrinking waterShowers
All campsites in Oregon · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Thor’s Well?
Thor’s Well is in Yachats, OR, at GPS 44.2787, -124.1134. It is about 20 mi from Florence.
Can you camp near Thor’s Well?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Cape Perpetua Campground, about 1 mi away; within 25 mi there are 41 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Thor’s Well?
Thor’s Well is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Oregon’s capes: Three Capes Route to Cape Perpetua.
What is there to see near Thor’s Well?
Places worth a stop nearby: Heceta Head Lighthouse (10 mi), Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area (28 mi), Oregon Dunes (28 mi) and Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area (32 mi).
When is the best time to visit Thor’s Well?
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April, July and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)