The stream is approximately 8 mi (13 km) long and is located in Monmouth County in Central New Jersey.

[1] It extends east-northeast from its head of navigation at Oceanport to its confluence with the Navesink River estuary, then entering 1 mi (1.6 km) north in a narrow channel to Sandy Hook Bay at Highlands.

The estuary is protected from the open Atlantic Ocean on its eastern side by a long barrier peninsula that extends north to become Sandy Hook.

Jersey Shore resort communities on the peninsula include Monmouth Beach and Sea Bright.

Marine species like Fluke (summer flounder), striped bass, bluefish and weakfish are popular fish targeted by local anglers.