Mountain Forest

Mountain Forest begins the aquarium's mountains-to-sea journey, showcasing river otters, trout, and Appalachian stream species in habitats that replicate the headwaters of South Carolina's rivers in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The exhibit demonstrates how clean mountain water eventually reaches the coast.

South Carolina's rivers originate in the Blue Ridge Mountains and flow through the Piedmont and Coastal Plain to the Atlantic Ocean. The health of downstream ecosystems — including Charleston Harbor — depends on the condition of these upstream habitats, making watershed conservation a matter of statewide importance.