EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article first appeared in a 2023 edition of Valley Living, a quarterly magazine published by the Valley Times-News. As spring begins to ripen, locals will be flocking to the shady parks and cool waters at West Point Lake. With its sprawling forestry and expansive lake, residents of the area have few better options for a day of fishing, camping, swimming or hiking. Rather than make the drive down to Florida, people c…