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Lake Tappan

River Vale · Old Tappan, New Jersey — Bergen County.

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920Surface acres (whole lake)

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 60448191); shared with New York, acreage is the whole lake.

Nearest airports

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Lake Tappan, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Compare car rentals near this lake

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Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Location & fast facts

Where Lake Tappan is in New Jersey

The red circle marks Lake Tappan.

Fast facts

About Lake Tappan

  • County: Bergen
  • Shore towns: River Vale, Old Tappan
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Shared with: New York. The surface acreage shown is the whole lake; about 70% of the mapped water is in New Jersey.
  • Distance: about 23 mi from Newark and 69 mi from Trenton and 30 mi from Morristown and 118 mi from Atlantic City, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in New Jersey

Official NJ Fish & Wildlife pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Camping. 5 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

    Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

    Lake map

    Lake Tappan shoreline

    1 mileN

    No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.

    Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 60448191), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

    Campgrounds near Lake Tappan

    We found 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Lake Tappan. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

    All campgrounds & RV parks in New Jersey

    Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

    Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

    Conditions right now

    Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
    Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

    Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (41.0373, -73.9961). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lake Tappan. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

    Sun, moon & best fishing times

    Sun & moon at Lake Tappan

    Best fishing times

    Major periodMinor periodDaylight

      Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

      Contact & official info

      Questions about Lake Tappan

      How big is Lake Tappan?

      Lake Tappan covers about 920 acres in River Vale and Old Tappan, New Jersey (Bergen County).

      Are there campgrounds near Lake Tappan?

      Yes. We list 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.

      What towns are on Lake Tappan?

      Lake Tappan touches River Vale and Old Tappan in Bergen County, New Jersey.

      Share a tip or fishing report

      Know Lake Tappan? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

      Lakes & ponds nearby

      Straight-line distance between lake centers. All New Jersey lakes & ponds · All waters in River Vale