When camping in a Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort, most of the time animals and “critters” will not be something that you and your family will have to deal with, but if you are camping out in the wilderness, here are some tips for you to follow on how to keep your campsite free from possible raccoons and other animals.

First, it is important to try and animal-proof your space before leaving the campsite to do activities. It’s common knowledge to protect your gear and food from bears. But you’re more likely to come into contact with squirrels and raccoons who have no problem ransacking your stuff. So, while you are exploring:

• • Keep it clean: One of the best ways to guarantee that an animal doesn’t raid your food supplies is to make sure it doesn’t smell your food supplies. Keep your campsite as clean as possible. Don’t litter, even if it’s biodegradable material. Seal and pack away your uneaten food and garbage in heavy duty, odor-proof bags with clean hands. Keep food containers and other containers that look like food containers out of sight.

• • Don’t worry about smelling like the woods: Artificial scents are one of the biggest attractions to wild animals. Woodland critters know the smell of the great outdoors, but they don’t know the smell of your Sweet-Pea and Violet deodorant. Artificially scented items can lure animals from far and wide. Keep the sweet-smelling soaps, deodorants, and lotions at home and use unscented ones instead.

• • Use critter-proof containers: Another great way to keep your food from attracting animals is to lock it safely in a critter-proof container such as a bear-proof cylinder. These bags and containers are incapable of being opened by animals. However, it’s also good to use odor-proof bags; as aforementioned, it’s typically the smells that attract animals to your campsite.

Keeping your food and family safe from pesky critters like raccoons, squirrels, and even bears can feel as complicated as pitching your tent. However, it doesn’t have to be. Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts offers you and your family the campground experience, but with the amenities and accommodations of a resort stay. Make a reservation today and stay in one of our cabins, tiny houses, RVs, or yurts for a camping trip you could only dream of without the necessity of having odor-proof bags on hand!