Yellowstone National Park Reopens After Historic Floods (PHOTOS)

Photos

Traffic was bumper to bumper Wednesday outside Yellowstone National Park as the southern loop reopened after the park was closed for more than a week following record-breaking floods.

Nicole Bonaccorso

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June 22, 2022

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Cars, campers and trucks line up before sunrise outside the south entrance of Yellowstone National Park waiting to gain entry for the first time in more than a week on June 22, 2022, in Yellowstone National Park, Wy. The park has been closed to all visitors due to severe flooding and damage to the roads. There is a limited opening Wednesday for the southern loop of the park. (George Frey/Getty Images)

Traffic was bumper to bumper Wednesday outside Yellowstone National Park as the southern loop reopened after the park was closed for more than a week following record-breaking floods.

The park's northern part remains closed, and may for the rest of the season. Floods last week damaged roads, destroyed bridges and may have forever changed the landscape of the park, as the Yellowstone River now cuts a slightly different path.

According to Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly, the cost of the damage is still being assessed.

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An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 vehicles entered the park after opening, and lines to get inside the park stretched for several miles, according to The Associated Press.

Last week's floods struck just as the summer tourist season begun, which typically draws millions of visitors to the park. This year the park is celebrating its 150th anniversary, and expected an uptick in tourism.

Many of the park's most popular attractions are still accessible, including the famous Old Faithful Geyser.

View the celebratory return to the park in the slideshow above.

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A road ends where floodwaters washed away a house in Gardiner, Mont., Thursday, June 16, 2022. Yellowstone officials are hopeful that next week they can reopen the southern half of the park, which includes Old Faithful geyser. Park officials say the northern half of the park, however, is likely to remain closed all summer, a devastating blow to the local economies that rely on tourism. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

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Traffic was bumper to bumper Wednesday outside Yellowstone National Park as the southern loop reopened after the park was closed for more than a week following record-breaking floods.

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