West Point Lake, Georgia

West Point is a manmade lake in the southwestern part of Georgia created by the West Point Dam under the Flood Control Act of 1962. In addition to flood control, the purpose was hydroelectricity, navigation, and recreation. Surrounded by a natural setting of dense hardwood forests and grassy sandhills, the lake attracts swimmers, boaters, anglers, and campers of all stripes. Recreation at West Point is a great day trip for residents and visitors to Atlanta and Columbus. Both cities are approximately an hour’s drive away with Atlanta to the north and Columbus to the south.

The West Point Dam Project provides water for navigation on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Waterway for 250 miles from Columbus, Georgia to Appalachicola, Florida, and power for 24 000 homes. West Point Lake stretches for 35 miles along the Chattahoochee River and has a shoreline of 525 miles. Anglers have 40 square miles of lake to fish for bass, crappie, bream, and catfish. Fish by boat or from public piers at Hardley Creek Park, Rocky Point Park, and McGee Bridge Park. There are several good spots for bank fishing, and dozens of boat ramps are scattered about for launching. The lake is served by two public marinas.

Other things to do include basketball and tennis courts and a baseball field. The lake has three public swim beaches- Earl Cook, Rocky Point, and Yellowjacket. All three are open from the first of May through Labor Day with a charge of $5 to park. A nearby 10,000-acre wildlife management area has trails for hiking to get close up views of animals like whitetail deer, rabbits, squirrels, and more. There are shelters for picnicking and grills for outdoor cooking. Another popular thing to do at the lake is looking for “treasure” along the banks of the lake with a metal detector.

West Point Lake 21 pristine day-use parks and four campgrounds with and without hookups. Most of them have picnic shelters and boat ramps with courtesy docks. Sleep under a canopy of stars at Holiday, Whitetail Ridge, R. Shaefer Heard, or Amity Campgrounds. All four have excellent amenities like hot showers, restrooms, drinking water, coin laundries, and dump stations.