Jan. 21 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day — will be the first of four fee-free days the U.S. Forest Service will offer on its managed properties this year, including the Allegheny National Forest.

Fees typically are not in effect on nearly 98 percent of national forests and grasslands. The Allegheny National Forest does have fees in place for many day-use areas, boat launches, campgrounds and other sites.

Approximately two-thirds of the 17,000 developed recreation sites in national forests and grasslands can be used for free, including camping and picnicking.

Some 6,000 developed recreation sites to require recreation fees, which the Forest Service says are used to provide visitor services, repairs and replacements and facilities maintenance.

Other fee-free days are June 8, National Get Outdoors Day; Sept. 28, National Public Lands Day; and Nov. 9-11, Veterans Day weekend.

Concessionaires who operate campgrounds and other amenities may choose whether to participate in the fee-free days. Contact your favorite campground for more information.

If you’re of a certain age, live a peripatetic lifestyle or just get jazzed by camping, then serving as a volunteer host at a U.S. Forest Service campground might be for you.

Search for opportunities here.

Forestcamping.com notes that “national forests and grasslands are dealing with reductions in recreation budgets and staffing. As the national economy slowly recovers, people continue to take camping vacations in the 175 national forests and grasslands across the country. These two factors have increased the need for volunteer campground host/hostess… .

“Duties vary, but as a rule of thumb, a volunteer Forest Service campground host/hostess provides information and assistance to campers, monitors campgrounds for Forest Service, and performs light maintenance duties. In turn, the volunteer receives a campsite and, sometimes, minimal monetary assistance.

“The need for volunteer campground hosts is year round and it not limited to one area or just the summer months. Although the greatest need is during the summer, many national forests and grasslands in the southern and southwestern states are available to campers and during the winter months.”