This tiny town is big on gargantuan waves, with a rocky shoreline that compresses wave energy into explosive moments on a regular basis. Basalt structures line the edge of the continent here, with the rocky ledges and cliffs often typified by a unique geological feature called “bubble basalt.”

Seemingly the town's centerpiece is the massive spouting horn, where a crevice in the rocks stretches back towards the sea wall and dead ends right below it. This structure squeezes the energy of the waves until they have nowhere else to go and they fire upwards into a stream of ocean water that varies in degrees of spectacular. It doesn’t always happen, but if conditions are right, you may see this violent surge of water shoot up into the air as high as 40 or 50 feet.

Other times it creates only small spouts that spray the sea wall a little bit.

Those larger eruptions of ocean can surprise motorists driving past. There are few things more surreal than to have to initialize your windshield wipers because of a spray of sea water that just enveloped your car.

Locals and businesses living near the bridge and seawall have to wash their cars and properties with frequency because of the constant spray of sea mist from the area.

Depoe Bay is the only town on the Oregon coast with a spouting horn within its borders, much less its downtown. There are other spouting horn features around the coast, but not many, including two near Cape Perpetua. Below: the crevice of the spouting horn in a less maniacal mood. Below that: video of the spouting horn in slow motion.

Confirmed: Waterspout Touches Down on N. Oregon Coast Becomes Tornado in Rockaway Beach
One injury, some damage: category EF 0. May happen again Wed. Weather, sciences

Major weather alerts from Ashland to Seattle: Oregon, Washington, Coastlines
Tornadoes, waterspouts, thunder, high winds up 60 mph, surf up to 28-feet, snow: all of PNW. Weather

Blow Holes and Spouting Horns Along Oregon Coast: When Waves Fire Upwards
Places where the wave energy gets compressed into one long, fiery shot. Sciences, travel tips

Depoe Bay's Spouting Horn Then and Now: Oregon Coast History
Images of the icon in ways you've never seen


Snuggle Inn: An Oregon Coast Inn / Rental With Killer Views, Deep Depoe Bay Vibes
22 Oct 2026 at 8:56pm
Depoe Bay reviews: Snuggle Inn, a two-story charmer with two vacation rentals. Near Depoe Bay Bridge, Otter Rock, Devil's Punchbowl. Keystone Vacation Rentals. Closest rooms to seawall and spouting horn. Fogarty Beach, Closest to Depoe Bay fishing docks, Whale Watch Center