Scammon Bay is on the south bank of the Kun River, one mile from the Bering Sea.

It lies to the north of the 2,300-foot Askinuk Mountains on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

It was known in Eskimo as "Mariak," and its residents were called "Mariagamiut." The nearby Bay was named after Capt. Charles Scammon, who served as the marine chief of the Western Union Telegraph Expedition from 1856 to 67. The name came into use when the Scammon Bay post office was established in 1951.

Scammon Bay is a Yup'ik Eskimo community that relies on fishing and subsistence activities. Most residents travel to the Black River each summer for fish camp, 50 miles to the north. The sale, importation or possession of alcohol is banned in the village.

Scammon Bay is accessible by air and water. A State-owned 3,000' long by 75' wide gravel airstrip and City-owned seaplane base on the Kun River serve air traffic. Barges bring in bulk supplies each summer.