WEST POINT — It’s been a busy summer season on West Point Lake. For the most part, the campgrounds have been full on the weekends, there have been lots of boats on the water and the beaches have drawn well.

“Overall we have had a good season,” said Susan Kramer, a park ranger for the West Point Project. “Monday was the final day for camping at Amity Park and Holiday Park. It was also the final day for our beach areas at Rocky Point, East Cook and Yellow Jacket. They closed for the season at 9 p.m. Camping at Amity and Holiday closes at 3 p.m. Tuesday.”

Kramer said that the 117 camping sites would remain open at R. Shaefer Heard Park through October 28.

  Sites   1-54    will    remain open through the winter. Whitetail Ridge, which is located near Holiday Park, will remain open through Nov. 25th, when it closes for the winter.

Of the West Point Project-managed parks, R. Shaefer Heard is the most popular destination and has the most camping sites. Holiday Park, which is also very popular with campers, has 112 camping sites plus two group camping areas. Amity Park has 75 sites and Whitetail Ridge 58.

“When we open the parks in March,” said Kramer, “the parks are usually around 80 percent filled for the first few weeks, but as the weather gets warmer it gets up into the 90 to 100 percent range.”

Robert Van Patten, who’s a gate attendant at Amity Park, told The Valley Times-News that he’s worked at a lot of parks on a contract basis but Amity is his favorite place.

“It’s such a pretty park,” he said. “My wife Rebecca and I have really enjoyed being here. We’d love to be here again next year.”

The Van Pattens along with Mickey and Dot Livingston have taken turns greeting those who are arriving at the park.

“We love working here,” Van Patten said. “We opened up April 20th and close on Labor Day. We’ve been really busy on the weekends.”

Amity Park has 75 sites open to the public. Eleven more are reserved for church groups and Scouting groups.

There’s also a volunteer village for those who volunteer throughout the year.