My wife and I visited Yellowstone in late April with temps hovering in the mid 20 - 30s. It was her 1st & my 2nd visit. We’d always heard that to really experience the park you need to get off the beaten path. We chose Yellowstone Hiking Guides’ Lamar Valley Safari Hike, hoping to see more of the park and the various wildlife. Our tour guides were the owners, Josh & Emily Jo. They were very knowledgeable and excellent hiking companions. We were the first tour of the season, but it looks like they book up quickly. The day started at 7am with a drive to the trail head and an excellent start to the day with sightings of two black bears, bison, wolves, coyotes & an osprey sitting in its nest (all before we even hit the trail!). Unfortunately, our hiking plans were altered when a grizzly decided it liked the Lamar Valley trail too (good catch Emily Jo!). Binoculars & a spotting scope were provided, so we all got to see the BIG grizzly bear (really cool!). Our guides made the right decision to abandon that hike (safety first) and we moved on down the road for a different adventure. We ended up hiking around several lakes in the area and enjoyed lunch overlooking the Lamar Valley. We finished up with a hike near the end of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, where we watched a fox showing off its recent kill. On the drive back there were more animal sightings, including big horn sheep & a “cinnamon” black bear. All in all, a very enjoyable day. The service was top notch including some pre-trip advice on how we southerners should dress for spring in Yellowstone (layers, layers, layers). We were hesitant at first about hiking so early in the season, but not anymore. The amount of wildlife hunkered down in the Valley before the snow melts was amazing.