Carmel River State Beach is a 297-acre California state park at the mouth of Carmel Valley, where the Carmel River meets the sea to form a lagoon along a protected one-mile beach. Established in 1953, it includes Mara Beach and Monastery Beach. The lagoon and wetlands are especially important for wildlife and migratory birds, making the area part of the Central Coast Birding Trail and a noted spot for fall and winter birdwatching. The shoreline is also used by scuba divers and sea kayakers, though swimming is especially dangerous because of strong currents and a steep drop-off. The beach also holds early colonial significance from Sebastián Vizcaíno’s 1602 landing and Gaspar de Portolà’s expedition camp.