It prefers dense hardwood or mixed hardwood/softwood forests. Gray fox habitat is commonly located along the banks of streams and rivers. It also prefers overgrown fields for foraging. The gray fox requires den sites, which may be a hollow log or tree, rock crevice, piles of wood or a brush pile. The home of a fox is called a den. Fox will make their dens in old hollow logs or trees, in boulder piles, in mine shafts, in caves, or they may take over an abandon burrow and enlarge it for their own use. hey tend to stay away from urban areas, preferring a more secluded habitat.

The gray fox can be identified by its coat color which is silver-gray on its back and face, reddish on its legs and chest and white on its throat, mid-belly, and the insides of it legs. It has a long bushy tail with a black tip and black stripe along the top. A thin black stripe runs from the outside corner of each eye to the sides of the head. The gray fox is somewhat stout and has shorter legs than the red fox. The gray fox is the only member of the dog family will climb trees, either to search for prey, sleep, or to escape from predators. They have strong, hooked claws that enable them to climb trees. In the wild, gray fox usually live between 7-10 years, although some do live to be much older.