What could a 60-year-old national park on the sandy shores of Cape Cod and a newly established national monument in the remote woods of interior Maine have in common? The differences between the two are apparent, yet there are similarities linking these two jewels of the National Park System that have their roots in New England’s natural, historic, and literary heritage, as memorialized by the famed naturalist and writer, Henry David Thoreau.

Concerns that oil and gas development on more than 115,000 acres of public lands could impact air quality near Dinosaur National Monument and other areas in western Colorado and northern Utah prompted the filing of a lawsuit Thursday in a bid to block the federal government from leasing those lands.

A search was ongoing Thursday at Great Smoky Mountains National Park for a 53-year-old Ohio woman who was hiking near Clingmans Dome on Tuesday when she and her daughter became separated.

Capitol Reef National Park and the Entrada Institute are partnering to present the 9th annual Heritage Starfest next week. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about dark skies.