Today's 6 News first traveled to Rocky Canyon Hot Springs, north of Crouch, in the summer of 2008. Josh Laughtland was our tour guide. As operator of Idahohotsprings.com, an online directory of hot springs across the Gem state, he can be considered a hot springs expert. Rocky Canyon is one of his favorite soaks.

"It's just a really nice place to go," says Laughtland. "You can spend some time and commune with nature."

Josh is now one of the many people fighting to save these pools. If all goes according to plan, they'll soon disappear.

"The current plans are to take them out because they are illegal," says John Erickson, Emmett District Ranger with the Boise National Forest. "They continue to be illegal because our regulations say you have to have some kind of authorization before you can construct permanent facilities."

For the man who built the pools, it's tough pill to swallow.

"Government employees don't have a good reputation anyway and it hasn't enhanced that reputation with me," says Cary Smith, the pools' builder.

Smith built the pools over the course of two years. Although never given official approval, he claims Forest Service workers saw what he was doing and never stopped him.

"We had some folks who saw it and didn't say anything," admits Erickson. "But they're not in a position to authorize those structures and they're still in violation of our regulations and laws."

Eventually, someone did complain and legal action was taken against Smith.

"The amount of effort they put into this, you would've thought I was raping babies or selling drugs in front of a junior high school," says Smith. "I just tried to give back to the people and the state of Idaho, that's treated me well over my life."

Smith reached a settlement with the U.S. Attorneys Office. He paid a fine and completed community service. The Forest Service won't give an exact date, but officials say the pools are coming out soon. As for Josh Laughtland, he originally supported that decision. He has since changed his mind.

"Essentially, after looking at the issues involved, the environmental issue, the safety issue, and a number of other issues, it seems like a true benefit to the natural setting," says Laughtland.

It should be noted that Native Americans consider the hot springs sacred and several tribe members complained about the pools. Forest Service officials say they took those cultural complaints very seriously in deciding what to do with the pools.