07/13/2026
If you have ever camped at Lake Leatherwood City Park in the summer, you may have had a late-night visit from a North American Raccoon. These native mammals are undoubtedly adorable, but they can be huge trouble makers.
Raccoons have a keen sense of smell and great night vision which makes them great at finding food. Most important, is their sense of touch. Raccoons have extremely sensitive paws. In fact, a large portion of their brain is dedicated to processing what they touch.
Raccoons are some of the most dexterous critters around. They have five fingers similar to humans. However, their thumbs are not opposable. Regardless, they can still grip onto objects and perform fine motor skills like opening jars, ripping plastic, and carrying items with their forelegs.
Raccoons are scavengers, so they will take whatever is readily available to them -- even if it may make them sick. At LLCP, the raccoons that live in the area are not afraid to try and steal human food from campsites. Never attempt to make direct contact or intentionally feed wild raccoons and always be sure to secure all of your food and trash in animal-proof containers. Happy camping!
