National Park Week kicks off April 19 and runs through 27 with plenty of special programming for visitors.

Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota commemorates those French-Canadian fur traders (voyageurs), the first Europeans to travel through the area with their canoes 250 years ago. Indeed, while there are a few visitor centers and trails that can be reached by car, the best way to explore the 218,000 acres of lakes, rivers, and forests is by boat.

The U.S. Senate, by a three-vote margin, is fine with public lands being sold off to reduce the federal government, according to conservation groups.

The National Park Service on Friday opened another window for federal employees to resign now but remain on the payroll through September.