Yosemite crowds expected to be thick this weekend

With its waterfalls at their most beautiful, and wildflowers everywhere, Yosemite National Park will host hordes of people over Memorial Day weekend.

Scott Gediman, a park ranger in Yosemite Valley, said the Memorial Day holiday weekend is traditionally the busiest weekend of the year in the park.

"We are expecting about 25,000 visitors per day, beginning on Friday," Gediman said.

A plus for this year's holiday weekend visitors, and for overworked park rangers, is that Tioga Road opened for travel on Wednesday.

"Having Glacier Point and Tioga roads open will allow people to go to different areas of the park and not get jammed in the Valley," Gediman said.

The recent hot weather has hastened this year's snowmelt, and the waterfalls within the park boundaries are at their peak now.