MILWAUKEE (AP) — Some riders of all-terrain vehicles say ATVs give them a way to enjoy Wisconsin’s beauty, appreciate the outdoors and bond with fellow riders.

But ATV fans can feel as though they’re spinning their wheels when they have to travel three hours or more to get to approved riding trails.

The state Department of Natural Resources is considering a long-term plan that would dedicate thousands of acres for the sport closer to the state’s larger cities.

If the plan is approved, the state would set aside land to include riding trails for ATVs, motorcycles and perhaps off-road trucks, and would likely include camping accommodations.

The land would cover roughly 2,500 acres, although the DNR would consider buying an area as large as 7,500 acres, according to Peter Biermeier, a trails manager with the department. Buying 2,500 acres could cost between $1 million and $5 million depending on location and other factors, he said.

Steve Dimig, an engineer from Plymouth in Sheboygan County, said he and his sons are avid ATV riders but they’re frustrated they have to drive up to three hours to find riding trails.

“Living in the southern part of the state, there’s not much here in terms of public riding,” said Dimig, 50, who has ridden for six years with his sons, ages 20, 18 and 16.

Dimig is one of a growing number of Wisconsin residents fueling the ATV frenzy. The DNR estimates about a quarter of the state’s population now rides ATVs. Interest may be rising due to converted snowmobile riders frustrated by seasons of inadequate snow levels, said Bill Morrissey, the DNR’s parks and recreation bureau director.

The problem is, most of the trails are in the sparsely populated northern and central parts of the state, said Randy Harden, the president of the Wisconsin ATV Association. There are about 500 acres of riding trails in Shawano County, 400 in Adams County and 250 in Kewaunee County, he said.

“But they get boring fairly quickly because 250 acres just doesn’t give you much of an experience,” Harden said.

Riding trails closer to the state’s larger cities would make the sport more accessible to its fans, he said, although he didn’t specify a potential site.

The Natural Resources Board, a seven-member citizen board, will meet Wednesday, June 28, in River Falls to consider whether to continue researching the proposal.

Many of the plan’s details remain uncertain.

“Our biggest hurdle now is finding an area that’s environmentally acceptable,” Morrissey said. “Once we get that, the next step will be to figure out the size of the land, potential funding sources, potential issues, how we’ll manage it and so on.”

The DNR will begin to solicit feedback from environmental groups if and when the board approves the plan for further investigation, he said.

Harden, the ATV association president, said it’s important to include representatives of environmental groups early in the planning stages.

“That way we can get our concerns on the table and work together to work something out,” he said.

Planning and implementation will still take several years, so the park likely would open between 2008 and 2010, Harden said.

The nine-person Governor’s State Trail Council will meet in July to provide advisory recommendations to the Natural Resources Board on the latest proposal. Michael McFadden, the council chairman, said he hasn’t decided whether he would support it.

He said non-motorized sports such as hiking and biking bring in more than half a billion dollars per year in tourism spending, so the state should consider investing resources in developing that interest.

ATV users, however, accounted for more than $295 million in tourism and visitor spending in 2003, according to the most recent figures available through the state Department of Tourism.

Morrissey said the park is expected to cost $300,000 to run each year, a figure that most likely will be covered by park and vehicle registration fees.