About Lake Tapps
Lake Tapps is not a city. It is an unincorporated Pierce County community of about 12,000 people wrapped around a reservoir that Puget Sound Energy created in 1911 by joining four small natural lakes for a hydroelectric project. The Cascade Water Alliance bought the lake in 2009 as a future drinking-water supply, and it keeps the water level up for recreation from roughly mid-April through mid-October.
That seasonal rhythm shapes the neighborhood. Summer means boats, wake surfing, and the swimming beach at Lake Tapps North Park; fall drawdown exposes the shoreline and quiets everything down. Homes range from 1960s lake cabins on the water to large newer houses on Tapps Island and the surrounding plateau.
Because it is unincorporated, mailing addresses say Bonney Lake (98391) or Auburn (98092), and county rules rather than city rules apply. It is one of the few places in the region where a rental can come with a dock.
Living in Lake Tapps
The lake has three orbits. The north and east shores are the Dieringer school district heartland, with North Tapps Middle School and the county-run Lake Tapps North Park. Tapps Island, a private community with its own golf course, sits mid-lake. The south shore backs onto Bonney Lake city limits and its 410 shopping. Lakeland Hills, the large Auburn neighborhood on the plateau to the north, is the closest place for groceries and coffee for most north-shore addresses.
Commuters split by shore: Lake Tapps Parkway drops to SR 167 at Auburn or Sumner in about ten minutes, and the Sumner and Auburn Sounder stations are each fifteen minutes. There is no transit on the lake itself, so plan on a car. Fishing, paddleboarding, and the summer lake culture are the reasons people accept that.
School districts
Boundaries change; confirm the assigned school for a specific address with the district before you apply.
- Dieringer School District (opens in a new tab)Preschool-8 district covering the northern two-thirds of the lake: Lake Tapps Elementary, Dieringer Heights Elementary, and North Tapps Middle School. Dieringer has no high school; families choose Auburn, Sumner-Bonney Lake, or White River, and most attend Auburn Riverside.
- Sumner-Bonney Lake School District (opens in a new tab)South-shore addresses inside Bonney Lake city limits (Bonney Lake High School).
- Auburn School District (opens in a new tab)Parts of Lakeland Hills and north-shore addresses with an Auburn mailing address (Auburn Riverside High School).
Annual events in Lake Tapps
- Fourth of July on the lakeBoat parades organized by the shoreline neighborhoods and a fireworks display visible from most of the lake. Expect full parking at North Park and Allan Yorke.
- Lake refill and summer season (opens in a new tab)The Cascade Water Alliance raises the lake to full pool in mid-April and begins drawdown in mid-October. Docks are in the water for the summer between those dates.
- Dieringer Community Fun Run and school events (opens in a new tab)The three Dieringer schools double as the community's gathering places; check the district calendar for the fall fun run, spring carnivals, and concerts.
Around Lake Tapps
(opens photo source and license in a new tab)Shoreline on Lake Tapps. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
(opens photo source and license in a new tab)Looking toward Tapps Island. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
(opens photo source and license in a new tab)South across the lake from Causeway Road. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons contributors, used under Creative Commons licenses (CC BY / CC BY-SA). Click any photo for its source and license.
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Renting or own property in Lake Tapps?
Our Sumner office is a short drive away. Call 253-863-6122 to schedule a showing, ask about the application process, or talk with us about managing your rental.