Unless your picture is very deceiving, I believe it to be Eumorpha achemon, Achemon Sphinx caterpillar. I don't see a horn, for one thing. Got any plants in the Vitaceae family nearby? It feeds on grape foliage, Virginia creeper, pepper vine, and others in the family. There are green and brown forms of this caterpillar, by the way. A fully grown caterpillar found roaming around at this time of year is probably looking for a place to pupate. They burrow into the soil, and create their brown, pupal shell and overwinter just fine. I'd suggest that you put the caterpillar in an area where there is plenty of loose soil, and let it get on with its lifecycle. It doesn't need to be near a plant in its host family; the next time it will see the light of day, it will have wings and feed solely on flower nectar.

See if Symphyotrichum oblongifolium fits. It has non-clasping leaves and spreading phyllaries like those in your photos.

Thank you for the feedback and the name. I thought that's what it was but wanted to get a second opinion, you find so many mislabeled photographs online you can never be sure. :)

I believe it may be a caterpillar of the Spilosoma virginica moth - Yellow woolly bear caterpillar.