RIVERTON, Wyo. (AP) - The popularity of the historic Oregon/Mormon Pioneer Trail is increasing, prompting the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to re-examine how many people it allows on the trail.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began organizing handcart treks on the Fremont County portion of the trail in 1999 to give Mormon youth a sense of what their ancestors endured when they immigrated from Illinois to Utah. Many Mormon pioneers pushed carts carrying their belongings.

About 1,000 people took part in treks 1999. By 2002, the number had increased to 12,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Another 2,000 people also use the trail each year.

The BLM is re-examining what time of year to open the trail, the number of participants per trekking season, the size of trek groups and the use of vehicles on the trails.

It is proposing to allow 7,500, 5,000 or 2,500 trekkers per year, with a maximum group size of 400, 200 or 100. Use by the general public would remain unlimited.

A decision on a new policy is expected to be ready this summer but will not go into effect until next year, according to Ray Hanson, head of the trekking environmental study.

Until then, the number of organized trekkers will be limited to 7,500.

Hanson said many hikers and campers worry about finding solitude with so many trekkers on the trail. "They'll be fishing and suddenly 400 hand-carters will come up the road," he told the County Commission recently.

He said some groups used to play loudspeakers with inspirational music but have since stopped. "The church has been very cooperative," said Jack Kelley, of the BLM's Lander Field Office.

Dave Pendleton, head of the county Transportation Department, says some trekkers' support vehicles have worn some roads near the trail, but no quarry to replenish the gravel is nearby.

"The bigger support vehicles with dual rear tires can impact roads," Kelley said. "They probably don't have to have all the support vehicles. Many of them come from large cities and may not be aware of the needs in the outdoors like a backpacker would."

AP-WS-06-27-04 1641EDT