This Blue Pool!! The initial thought that comes to my mind is what an absolute fantastic under the radar natural landmark it is! Located 140 miles southeast of Portland, Oregon or just 60 miles northeast of Bend, OR.

I was introduced to this Blue Pool (which really is blue!) from watching a recommendation on TikTok.
I must divulge a secret, there are a lot of wonderful content creators on TikTok and if it weren’t for their suggestions about beautiful places to visit around the United States, I would have unknowingly skipped this Blue Pool by along my explorations.

To arrive here, it’s a casual - intermediate 4.2 mile roundtrip hike in total gaining a few hundred feet in elevation.
A majority of the trail is hiked through a pleasant forest setting. Once towards the end of the trail, you look down upon the Blue Pool which offers incredibly dramatic perspectives especially when the sun is high above the sky.
I noticed the turquoise aspects of the waters and took a few moments for photos and recordings before finding a pathway down to the shores.
And btw, the last section of the hike is a little distorted. I lost track of the trail direction and had to improvise to figure out a way down to the bottom. This is just a friendly reminder not to be discouraged if you encounter the same difficulty I did.

But no worries, everything is worth it. For being in Oregon, you won’t encounter anything like this along your travels.
I give supreme credit to all the majestic waterfalls Oregon is known for, but a giant pool of water very true to its name…crystal blue…you gotta be here to witness it!

To back up a moment, if you enter “Blue Pool” into Google Maps, it’ll show as “Tamolitch Falls - Blue Pool”. And this is what you’re looking for. Google will successfully lead to the trailhead.
There was plenty of parking available on the side of the road at 9am in the morning.
By the time I departed around 3pm, the road was crowded with cars.
As is normal for most hikes and outstanding attractions anywhere you may go, early is always better, lol.

The pool is not that large. You can walk around the shores pretty comfortably until you find an area that suits you.
Bring a bathing suit just in case. I didn’t expect to enter the waters but a couple of risk takers at the shore encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone. And so, I jumped in.

The water was freezing for late July. In fact, the water is freezing year round no matter when you visit.
I was convinced to make a lasting memory and so I dove head first in.

I’d like to mention the best picture taking viewpoint. Towards the right hand side of the pool, you can safely and carefully climb on rocks and it affords you a higher angle than simply standing at eye level beside the shoreline. The taller glance enhances that hypnotic blue coloring.
I did have to wait for strangers to exit my picture lens frame, but ultimately it was worth for undisturbed looks of the entire Blue Pool with no one around.
So just remember, for quality photos, climb on the rocks to the right of the pool.

In total, you can take a few hours to half a day to enjoy the surroundings. It’s such a unique blue pool of water in the middle of the forest, it’s hard to ponder it could even exist! But then again, this past summer of 2023, I received many incredible hiking recommendations and waterfall suggestions situated throughout Oregon…and all from casually swiping TikTok posts!

Lastly, it’s free to come here at your own accord. You don’t need a reservation. There’s no fee to park. No park rangers. It’s you and the great outdoors.

Right nearby this Blue Pool is 2 MUST - DO WATERFALLS located 3.5 miles down the road. They are…Sahalie Falls and Koosah Falls!
In total, you can create a very fulfilling and memorable day at all 3 sights. I highly recommend them.

Thanks for coming along, reading these notes and taking a moment out of your day to watch.

#bluepool #oregon #travel #colorful #hiking #turquoise #blue #landmarks #nature #exploring #sightseeing