It has a rocky shoreline with steep, eroding cliffs, and a rugged interior forested with sitka spruce and hemlock.

The bay is a biologically rich environment in comparison to Cook Inlet and the outer shores of the Kenai Peninsula.

Her work laid the foundation for later research in the region, which has largely confirmed her initial timeline.

The midden is part of what is interpreted as a village site, which has yielded radio carbon dates of CE 1100–1300.

Built on land cleared in the 1970s, its construction and opening were delayed by the discovery of archaeological sites at its planned location.