Devils Churn, Narrow ocean inlet in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States

Devils Churn is a narrow inlet of the Pacific Ocean south of Yachats in Lincoln County, Oregon, within Siuslaw National Forest. Wave action carved it into the basalt shoreline over thousands of years, first as a deep sea cave whose roof later collapsed. The churn is reached by the Restless Waters trail from the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area visitor center or from a U.S. Route 101 overlook.

This fissure formed over thousands of years through constant wave action, beginning as a sea cave before its roof collapsed from natural erosion. The opening gradually deepened as the ocean continued to break down the volcanic rock.

The name comes from the churning of the Pacific against the basalt. The inlet lies in Siuslaw National Forest, reached by the Restless Waters Trail from the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area visitor center or from a U.S. Route 101 overlook; a Forest Service pass is required. In 2021 a visitor drowned after trying to jump across the water.

Visitors reach this site by hiking the Restless Waters Trail through the surrounding forest landscape. The area lies within Siuslaw National Forest, and certain facilities or access may require appropriate permits or passes from the Forest Service.

At high tide, ocean waves create dramatic water sprays at the narrow end of the fissure that shoot high into the air. These geysers of seawater form when the ocean forces water into the confined space with such pressure that it explosively erupts outward.