Lake Tapps Reservoir

Address: Lake Tapps, Pierce County (near Bonney Lake), Washington, USA

Hours: Open 24 hours

Admission: Free

Lake Tapps is a man-made reservoir in Pierce County, Washington State, used for recreation and with extensive residential shoreline. It functions as a local focal point for boating, fishing and watersports for communities in the nearby area.

The lake is used extensively for seasonal recreation and has multiple public access points and parks that provide boat launches and picnic areas. The shoreline includes dense lakeside housing and private docks that give the lake a residential character.

The body of water was created and is managed as a reservoir rather than a natural lake; its use and shoreline development have changed over the 20th and 21st centuries as housing and recreational demand increased. Management of water levels and access is handled through local bodies and utility arrangements.

Lake Tapps sits in eastern Pierce County near the communities of Bonney Lake and Sumner, roughly southeast of the Seattle metropolitan area. The lake is surrounded by suburban and semi-rural land uses and is reached by local county roads.

• Recreation and access: Public parks and launch sites provide access for boating, fishing and watersports; much of the shoreline is lined with private homes and docks.

About 30-45 minutes’ drive from Tacoma and 60-75 minutes from Seattle depending on traffic; access via WA‑167 to local exits and county roads into Bonney Lake and surrounding communities.

• The city side of Lake Tapps is lined with residential parks-visit a public boat launch if intending to put a craft in the water.
• Weekday mornings are quieter; weekends attract local boaters.
• If planning a longer excursion, check the local county parks for seasonal events and access restrictions.