Allan Yorke Park

Bonney Lake, Washington · on Lake Tapps · Allan Yorke City Park

Verified · 4 independent sources

WATER: lake
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: $40
SEASON: Best in summer

About Allan Yorke Park

Allan Yorke Park is a 45-acre city-owned park in Bonney Lake, Washington, sitting at the south end of Lake Tapps at the intersection of Bonney Lake Boulevard and West Tapps Highway. It is the city's main developed access point to the lake and its closest thing to a hometown swimming hole, with a boat launch, a marked swimming area, and rentable picnic/event space that hosts community events like the Tunes @ Tapps concert series. For anyone wanting a lake to swim in without leaving Bonney Lake, this is the spot.

The park occupies the southern shoreline of Lake Tapps, a large lake in Pierce County managed by the regional water utility Cascade Water Alliance, whose water levels are actively monitored and can drop below the 'minimum recreational threshold' in some years, closing the city's boat launch as of late July per the city's own park page. The grounds are open, grassy park land rather than wilderness, set up for lakeside recreation and event programming (concerts, community days) alongside the water access.

Swimming at Allan Yorke Park

The park has a designated, marked-off swimming area directly off its shoreline, confirmed by Pierce County Sheriff's Office and local news coverage of a 2017 drowning there. Swimmers described entering from the shore and swimming out toward a buoy roughly 40 yards offshore; within the marked area the water was reported at about 12 feet deep. Police noted the lake's subsurface water can be notably cold (around 50-56F) even when the surface feels warm, sapping swimmers' strength on longer swims away from shore.

How to get to this swimming hole

Located in Bonney Lake, WA at the junction of Bonney Lake Boulevard and West Tapps Highway (7203 W Tapps Hwy E, Bonney Lake, WA 98391), on the south end of Lake Tapps.

Parking: General park parking is not itemized in official sources. The boat launch has a separate rule: towed-boat vehicles may only park in the 'Ballfield 4' lot (26 spaces, first-come), and only Bonney Lake residents with a paid annual pass may use the launch; vehicles parked elsewhere are subject to impoundment per the city.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. No hiking is required; access is directly from the parking lot to the shoreline.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

There is a designated/marked swimming area right off the park shoreline, which helps, but news coverage of a 2017 drowning there describes the marked area reaching roughly 12 feet deep with cold subsurface water (50-56F) even when the surface feels warm, not a gentle shallow shelf. No lifeguards are mentioned in any source found. Best for kids who can already swim and are supervised closely rather than for toddlers wading unsupervised.

Parking

Lot

A paddling directory (boatrampfinder.com) confirms a parking lot exists at the boat-ramp facility. General day-use parking cost/rules are not itemized anywhere found. Separately, and only for the boat launch/trailer parking specifically, the city restricts a 26-space lot ('Ballfield 4') to Bonney Lake residents holding a paid $43.80/yr pass, that fee applies to towing a boat, not confirmed to apply to ordinary day-use car parking.

Hours

The city's boating page states the facility (boat launch area) closes at dusk; no separate general park hours were found in official sources.

Swim smart

Police have cited cold subsurface water temperatures (roughly 50-56F) at Lake Tapps as a factor that can rapidly sap a swimmer's strength even when the surface feels warm; a 2017 drowning occurred when a 22-year-old swimming from shore toward a buoy went under in the marked swimming area, which was the first drowning at the lake in five years per the Pierce County Sheriff. Fluctuating, utility-managed lake levels can also affect access and depth at the shoreline.

Rules: Boat launch access is restricted to Bonney Lake residents with proof of residency and a paid annual pass; non-permitted or improperly parked tow vehicles can be impounded. The city closes the boat launch outright during low-water periods.

This is an informational listing, not an invitation. Conditions and access change; verify locally before you go. Visiting any swimming hole is at your own risk. See our Terms of Use.

On the water

KayaksPaddleboardsMotorboatsJet skis

Restrictions: Per the City of Bonney Lake's boating page: operators of motorized vessels 15+ horsepower must hold a Washington Boater Education Card; the city references a watercraft regulations brochure covering speed limits, hours of operation (closes at dusk), marked restricted areas, and personal-watercraft (jet ski) requirements. The boat launch itself is currently closed (as of a July 27 city notice) because Lake Tapps' utility-managed water level is below the recreational minimum, which would also limit motorized/trailer-launched access until levels recover.

Lake Tapps is described by a paddling directory as calm, flat water good for beginner paddlers, recommended March-November. Kayak and paddleboard rentals are available directly on-site through the park's snack concession (see rentals).

Rentals nearby

Snack Shack (Allan Yorke Park concession)

Kayak and paddleboard rentals, on-site at Allan Yorke Park

On-site at Allan Yorke Park, 7203 W Tapps Hwy E, Bonney Lake, WA

KayakShare.com (North Lake Tapps Park location)

Single kayaks, double kayaks, and standup paddleboards

Prices: $17.99 for 1 hour, $34.99 for 2 hours (single kayak)

North Lake Tapps Park, 2022 198th Ave E, Bonney Lake, WA 98391, a separate access point on Lake Tapps, not the same site as Allan Yorke Park · Rentals run 7am to a 5pm last-departure daily, all boats must be returned by 7pm; seasonal, April 1 - September 30 only

Invert Sports

Jet skis, motorboats (ski/wakeboard boats), paddleboards, and water toys (tubes, wakeboards, kneeboards, flyboards)

Operates out of a marina/resort on Lake Tapps ('Northwest Marina and resort'); requires 48-hour advance reservation notice; phone/text 888-205-7119

Backstory

Lake Tapps is owned and its water levels are managed by Cascade Water Alliance, a regional water utility, rather than existing purely as an unmanaged natural lake; the city monitors and publishes lake-level status because it determines whether the Allan Yorke Park boat launch can open.

Allan Yorke Park: FAQ

Does Allan Yorke Park charge a fee?

No day-use entry fee for the park is described in official sources. Using the boat launch requires a Bonney Lake resident-only annual vehicle parking pass costing $40 plus tax ($43.80 total), purchased through the city; the launch itself is closed entirely when Lake Tapps water levels fall below the city's recreational minimum (closed as of the most recent city update found, dated July 27).

Is Allan Yorke Park kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Allan Yorke Park?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Allan Yorke Park?

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Allan Yorke Park?

When is the best time to visit Allan Yorke Park?

An aggregator paddling directory lists March through November as the recommended window for calm-water paddling here; the city's own boat-launch status notes indicate late-summer closures are possible when lake levels drop, which would also affect swimming access at the launch area.

What are the rules at Allan Yorke Park?

Boat launch access is restricted to Bonney Lake residents with proof of residency and a paid annual pass; non-permitted or improperly parked tow vehicles can be impounded. The city closes the boat launch outright during low-water periods.

What water body is Allan Yorke Park on?

Allan Yorke Park is on Lake Tapps, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.

Conditions right now

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Live data from the National Weather Service and USGS. Conditions at the water can differ, use your judgment.

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Get directions

Managed by

Allan Yorke City Park

Official site · City of Bonney Lake

At a glance

Land access: Open to the public
Facilities: boat launch; designated/marked swimming area; picnic areas (available for rental); independently-operated food concession ("The Shack")
Highlights: Roped/marked-off designated swimming area directly at the park; Hosts the seasonal "Tunes @ Tapps" concert series and Bonney Lake Days community celebration; Independently run lakeside food concession ("The Shack")
Nearby towns: Cedar View (2.1mi); Sumner (2.4mi); Bonney Lake (2.7mi); Ponderosa Estates (3.4mi)
Coordinates: 47.1914, -122.1659