It was quite the adventure for a wild marmot that hitched a ride inside a vehicle traveling through the mountains of Colorado.

According to park officials, animal control was called to pick up the marmot after people traveling from Winter Park to Parker discovered the furry little fella inside their garage upon returning home from the mountains.

The marmot was released back into the wild on at Staunton State Park on Sunday after tagging along on the 58-mile road trip.

Marmots are attracted to the smell of engine oils and the warmth coming from inside vehicles. Deterrents, such as mothballs and dryer sheets, can be used to keep them away, or in this case from sneaking inside your vehicle.

It was a fitting story for Staunton State Park who kicked off the weekend-long celebration of Marmot Fest.

Staunton State Park is located in Pine, just about 40 miles southwest of Denver. The 3,828-acre park, situated between the counties of Park and Jefferson, offers several miles of multi-use trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders.

For assistance regarding wildlife, please contact your local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office. For a list of regional and area offices, click here.