The Carmel River is a river, 36 miles (58 km) long, on the central coast of Monterey County, California. It is often considered as the northern boundary of Big Sur. It originates in the Santa Lucia Mountains, flows northwest through the Carmel Valley and empties into the Pacific Ocean south of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The river drains about 255 square miles (660 km²). It was discovered in 1602 by Sebastian Vizcaino, whose written account greatly exaggerated its proportions, confusing later explorers.