7 Gorgeous and Surprisingly Uncrowded U.S. National Parks

Few travel experiences can rival the sheer transcendence of savoring the pristine natural beauty of America's National Parks. That is, unless you're forced to savor said natural beauty while sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, or rubbing elbows with a thousand other Instagram addicts angling for the same spectacular sunset shot.

With all due respect to longtime favorites such as the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite, there's a lot to be said for off-the-beaten-path adventures in some of our nation's lesser-known parks. Here are seven worthy contenders for your summer vacation consideration.