China Poot Bay? What kind of name is that?! China Poot Bay is a broad, expansive, and - in many places - shallow bay directly across from Homer, and it’s named after Henry Poot, an Alaska Native who fished and hunted in the area in the early 1900s. China Poot Peak - the iconic, chocolate-drop shaped mountain visible from the Homer Spit, sits over the bay. China Poot Bay is a rich estuary, where freshwater creeks and streams mix with ebb and flow saltwater to create an incredible intertidal habitat. So, it’s great for tidepooling, camping, and hiking. Look for sea stars, anemones, clams, sea ducks, and harbor seals around the water, or nestle into the rich spruce forests and spongy undergrowth. And check out the beautiful cliffs at the bay’s entrance, comprised of radiolarian chert laid down millions of years ago. The China Poot Yurt is available for rent in the back of the bay, and there’s a popular dipnet sockeye salmon fishery too at China Poot Creek (the dipnet fishery is open to Alaska residents only, but anyone with a valid fishing licence can fish at the mouth of the creek). For hiking, the Coalition Trailhead sits at the head of the bay, which will get you into Halibut Cove Lagoon and connects you with trails leading up to Poot’s Peak, China Poot Lake and Moose Valley (the Coalition Trail is named after the Kachemak Bay Citizens Coalition, a group of fishermen, Native Alaskans and engaged locals who fought back oil and gas leasing in Kachemak Bay in the 1970’s).  Check local trail conditions before you go, and know that big tides can make the yurt and the salmon fishery inaccessible at low tides. Call our office for details. 

More Info:
China Poot Lake Trail fact sheet and map
Kachemak Bay State Park Brochure
Yurt Rentals