After years of problems ranging from littering to serious crime and at least two deaths, the BLM has decided to remove Skinny Dipper Hot Springs east of Banks and return the site to nature. The series of warm-water soaking pools there was constructed illegally in the 1990s with piping and concrete on public lands, and itself is considered a trespass. On top of that, over the past five years, county and BLM law enforcement officers have responded to more than 125 incidents at the location, from under-age drinking to vehicle break-ins, theft and sexual assault.

In addition to the two deaths there, authorities report that bio-hazardous materials, including discarded hypodermic needles and human feces, have commonly been found in the area, posing a contamination threat to the South Fork Payette River, into which the hot springs flow.

The problems prompted a temporary night-time closure starting in 2012; an environmental assessment was completed this year. Federal officials reached out to hot springs users for solutions including a special use permit, but no one was willing to apply for the permit – which would have required repairing the resource damage and addressing public health and safety issues.

Anyone adversely affected by the decision can file an appeal by May 28; those with questions can contact the BLM Boise District Office at (208) 384-3300. Violations of the closure could bring up to a year in prison and fines of up to $1,000.