Visitors line up for Yellowstone’s partial reopening after devastating floods

Three of the national park's five entrances have opened as the damage is still being assessed after rare and record flooding

Park managers raised the gates at three of Yellowstone national park's five entrances on Wednesday, reopening part of America's oldest park for the first time since a devastating deluge caused historic floods that destroyed roads, bridges and buildings earlier this month.

Hundreds of cars, trucks and recreational vehicles lined the open entryways in anticipation, an indication that many visitors stuck to their plans despite uncertainty last week about when the park would reopen. Before the extreme weather, park managers were already bracing for the throngs of tourists expected this summer, following its busiest year on record, which drew more than 4.8 million people.