The U.S. has numerous national parks that offer stunning scenery without the usual crowds. The National Park Service manages 433 units overall, including 63 official national parks, so there's a lot more out there than the usual must-see giants like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. Here are 8 gorgeous, underrated parks worth adding to your next road trip.

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

Great Sand Dunes is basically a mini desert at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The park is home to the tallest dunes in North America, with Star Dune rising about 750 feet from base to crest.

Hiking here can be surreal, as one way is just sand, and the other is mountains.

North Cascades National Park, Washington

This Washington park is packed with jagged peaks, glacier lakes, waterfalls, astonishing meadows, and so much mountain scenery that even the Alps are jealous.

The best part is that it's less than three hours from Seattle, and yet this magical place remains one of the least visited national parks in the U.S.

The North Cascades National Park Service Complex has more than 300 glaciers, making it the most heavily glaciated area in the country outside Alaska. But the downside here is that it's quite rugged with limited roads and amenities.

Kings Canyon National Park, California

California has plenty of national parks, which is probably why Kings Canyon gets unfairly overshadowed by Yosemite and Sequoia. But that's just perfect for those of you who love to go against the grain. You still get the deep glacial canyon, roaring rivers, giant trees, and a scenic drive to die for with none of the pesky tourists.

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Bryce Canyon usually comes to mind when someone mentions Utah, but Capitol Reef is low-key a magnificent and very underrated park with many cliffs, canyons, natural bridges, and red-rock scenery that looks fake but really isn't.

Its main geological feature is the Waterpocket Fold, a nearly 100-mile "wrinkle" in the Earth's crust. Capitol Reef still gets visitors, but compared with Utah's most famous parks, it often feels like you've uncovered a whole new biome.

Congaree National Park, South Carolina

Congaree is swampy, lush, and completely different from the western parks that Congaree stands out as a swampy, lush paradise, offering a stark contrast to the western parks frequently showcased on your Instagram feed. on your Instagram feed. Located in South Carolina, this park greets you at the Boardwalk Loop, and right off the bat you see the towering trees.

The entire floodplain forest has that mysterious, fairy-tale vibe to it. For more hands-on experience, you can go hiking, camping, and paddling. But the most breathtaking thing you'll ever witness here can only be seen around May-June.

Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Sitting in eastern Nevada near the so-called Loneliest Road in America, the Great Basin National Park is proof that Nevada is not just casinos and desert highways.

At its center is Wheeler Peak, which rises over 13,000 feet, surrounded by alpine scenery and ancient trees. The prehistoric bristlecone pines, which can live for thousands of years, resemble something straight out of a fantasy novel.

Lehman Caves is another highlight that you absolutely have to visit. In addition to all that, Great Basin is an International Dark Sky Park and has some of the clearest, darkest skies in the contiguous U.S.

Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

Lassen Volcanic is basically Yellowstone's little brother that you've never heard of. It has almost every feature Yellowstone has, including fumaroles, bubbling mud pots, hydrothermal areas, and volcanoes, but all that without the crowds of tourists.

Gunnison National Park, Colorado

And for dessert, we have Gunnison National Park with its star attraction—the Black Canyon. It's narrow, steep, dark, and dramatic, with the Gunnison River flowing at the bottom.

The Painted Wall is undeniably the highest cliff in Colorado and another one of the park's most fascinating spots to visit.

The Black Canyon may not be as big and famous as the Grand Canyon, but for this list, that's what makes it a perfect destination. Black Canyon is the kind of place that takes your breath away the second you witness its greatness.