Squirrels in Tennessee: Where to Look and What Signs to Watch For

Tennessee hosts two primary squirrel species: the Eastern gray squirrel and the fox squirrel. Gray squirrels are more common in urban and suburban areas, readily adapting to parks, neighborhoods, and city green spaces. They typically weigh 400 to 600 grams and have a distinctive dark gray coat with a white belly. Fox squirrels are larger, weighing up to 1.1 kilograms, and prefer open woodlands and forest edges where they have clear sightlines. Fox squirrels can display varied coloration ranging from reddish to gray or nearly black, making them visually distinct from their smaller gray cousins.

Both species are active year-round, though their behavior shifts seasonally. In fall and early winter, they are most visibly active as they cache acorns and hickory nuts for the lean months ahead. In spring, you may observe them foraging on the forest floor and in tree canopies as new vegetation emerges.

For more details on gray squirrel behavior, visit our squirrel page. In Tennessee, successful squirrel spotting usually improves when you slow down and match your first stop to where the animal is most likely in the state. Use the state wildlife hub and the route guide to narrow your first area, then check access, weather, and distance before you settle in. A short walk with one clear viewing plan often beats covering too much ground, especially when habitat changes fast from open edges to brush, wetlands, timber, shoreline, or neighborhood cover.

Squirrels are found statewide, but your best odds vary by habitat preference and season. Gray squirrels are easiest to spot in residential neighborhoods, city parks, and suburban areas where they have become accustomed to human presence. Parks like Percy Warner Park in Nashville and Shelby Farms Park near Memphis offer reliable sightings, particularly near areas with mature oaks and hickories.

Fox squirrels favor open woodlands and the transition zones between forest and grassland. The Cumberland Plateau and the Great Smoky Mountains have healthy populations of both species, particularly in the mixed oak-hickory forests that dominate much of the region. State parks including Fall Creek Falls State Park and Cumberlandland Trail State Park provide excellent habitat and access for spotting.

In Tennessee, early morning (dawn to mid-morning) and late afternoon (2 hours before dusk) are your peak activity windows year-round. Spring and fall offer the most active foraging behavior as squirrels work to replenish energy reserves, but winter can be rewarding on mild days when they emerge from their dreys to feed.

For a broader look at Tennessee wildlife, check our Tennessee wildlife guide.

Early morning (dawn to mid-morning) and late afternoon (2 hours before dusk) are peak activity times when squirrels are most active foraging and traveling between food sources. During the middle of the day, especially in warm weather, they often retreat to shaded areas or rest in their dreys.

Seasonal patterns are pronounced in Tennessee. Spring (March through May) brings increased activity as squirrels emerge from winter dormancy and search for newly emerging vegetation. Summer (June through August) sees squirrels most active in early morning and late afternoon, avoiding the heat of midday. Fall (September through November) is arguably the best season, when squirrels are intensely foraging for nuts and seeds to cache for winter, creating frequent ground activity and visible movement through the canopy. Winter spotting remains possible but requires patience; look for activity on mild days when temperatures rise above freezing.

See our state animal guide for the next step.

Field signs are often your first clue to squirrel presence, sometimes preceding a visual sighting. Look for leaf nests, called dreys, high in tree forks. These distinctive structures are built from leaves and small twigs and measure roughly 12 to 20 inches in diameter. Squirrels may build multiple dreys and use them seasonally.

On the ground, gnawed nutshells are a reliable indicator. Squirrel chewing leaves clean, precise edges on nut shells, distinguishing them from the jagged edges left by mice or other rodents. Listen for scratching sounds on tree bark as squirrels forage and climb. Fresh sap runs down trees where bark has been stripped, indicating recent activity. Scat is another clue, though small and easily overlooked; droppings appear as small brown pellets, typically under 5 millimeters long.

Track patterns in mud, snow, or soft soil near trees show a distinctive bounding gait unique to squirrels. The direct register pattern, where hind feet land nearly in the prints of front feet, creates a characteristic chain-like track impression.

Squirrel tracks are small (1 to 2 inches long) and show four toes on the front foot and five on the hind foot. The front paw prints appear as small hands with distinct claw marks, while the hind feet are larger and show a more pronounced pad structure. They often appear in a bounding pattern, with larger hind feet landing ahead of the smaller front feet.

When snow covers the ground, the direct register or nearly direct register pattern becomes clearly visible. The animal places its hind feet almost directly into the prints left by its front feet, creating a chain-like line of tracks across the snow. This efficient movement pattern conserves energy in winter conditions.

In mud or fine sand, you may also observe tail drag marks running between the track sets. Clear impressions are best found near active feeding areas, under trees bearing nuts, or along runs between shelter trees and food sources.