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Wanapum Lake

Rock Island, Washington — Kittitas County.

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14,362Surface acres
13Public access sites
6.2 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID {1601453E-7035-4F69-9632-88860E7EA559}).

Location & fast facts

Where Wanapum Lake is in Washington

The red circle marks Wanapum Lake.

Fast facts

About Wanapum Lake

  • Counties: Kittitas, Grant, Douglas, Chelan
  • Nearest city: Rock Island (about 1.6 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 2086 mi from Pensacola and 2167 mi from Panama City, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Washington: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Washington

Official WDFW pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 13 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Swimming. 1 public beach or swim spot on the map (details)
  • Walking. 6.2 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 25 campgrounds within 15 mi, 5 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Eurasian watermilfoil and Curly-leaf pondweed recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.
  • No lifeguard listed. None of our sources lists a staffed lifeguard. Swim at your own risk and watch children closely.
  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

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

Wanapum Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Rocky Coulee Recreation Area Campground (campground)Wanapum State Park Campground (campground)Crescent Bar Campground (campground)Sand Hollow Campground (campground)Thousand Trails Crescent Bar (campground)Vantage Riverstone Resort (campground)The Gorge - The Oasis (campground)The Gorge - Front Yard Camping (campground)The Gorge Terrace Camping (campground)Apricot Orchard Boat Launch (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)3Boat ramp (Boat launch)4Boat ramp (Boat launch)5Boat ramp (Boat launch)6Boat ramp (Boat launch)7Boat ramp (Boat launch)8Frenchman Coulee Boat Launch (Boat launch)9Lower Wanapum Boat Launch (Boat launch)10Sunland Estates Water Access Site (Boat launch)11Wanapum Dam Upper Boat Launch (Boat launch)12Yoyo Rock Water Access Site (Boat launch)13Beach (unnamed on OpenStreetMap) (Beach)141 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchBeachShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Apricot Orchard Boat Launch
    Boat launch
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  3. 3Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  4. 4Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  5. 5Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  6. 6Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  7. 7Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  8. 8Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  9. 9Frenchman Coulee Boat Launch
    Boat launch
  10. 10Lower Wanapum Boat Launch
    Boat launch
  11. 11Sunland Estates Water Access Site
    Boat launch · Rock Island
  12. 12Wanapum Dam Upper Boat Launch
    Boat launch
  13. 13Yoyo Rock Water Access Site
    Boat launch · Rock Island
  14. 14Beach (unnamed on OpenStreetMap)
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID {1601453E-7035-4F69-9632-88860E7EA559}), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: WDFW water access sites and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

6.2 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 5%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North and south shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 6.2 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Wanapum Lake shoreline, mostly along the north and south shores. About 1.4 mi of it is on islands, which you can reach only by boat.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Boat ramp, right on a shoreline trail (WDFW water access site data).

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Wanapum Lake

We found 25 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Wanapum Lake, 19 of them within 5 miles. 5 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

14 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Washington

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 (47.1080, -120.0192). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Wanapum Lake. 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 Wanapum Lake

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 PT (America/Los_Angeles), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    13 public access sites listed, 13 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Apricot Orchard Boat Launch—Grant County PUDBoat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.2335, -120.0801
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp—FeeBoating46.9055, -119.9878
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.2286, -120.0311
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.2156, -119.9941
    Boat ramp—Grant County PUDBoat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.9411, -119.9845
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.3092, -120.0846
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.8795, -119.9891
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.2144, -119.9922
    Frenchman Coulee Boat Launch—Grant County PUDBoat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.9997, -119.9902
    Lower Wanapum Boat Launch—Grant County PUDBoat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.8770, -119.9634
    Sunland Estates Water Access SiteRock IslandWDFWBoat ramp · Yes ramp——Boating47.0697, -120.0253
    Wanapum Dam Upper Boat Launch—Grant County PUDBoat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating46.8830, -119.9566
    Yoyo Rock Water Access SiteRock IslandWDFWBoat ramp · Yes ramp——Boating47.2814, -120.0929

    WDFW water access sites and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Public beaches

    On OpenStreetMap: 1 beach or swimming spot on the shore of Wanapum Lake not marked private, residents-only or members-only.

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Beach (unnamed on OpenStreetMap)BeachAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions

    Beaches: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), within about 150 m (500 ft) of the lake outline. A mapped beach is not a guarantee that swimming is allowed, supervised or safe; some town beaches need a resident sticker even when the map doesn't say so. Check posted rules and water-quality advisories before you swim.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Wanapum Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Wanapum Lake

    How big is Wanapum Lake?

    Wanapum Lake covers about 14,362 acres in Rock Island, Washington (Kittitas County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Wanapum Lake?

    Yes. 13 public trailer launches are listed: Sunland Estates Water Access Site, Yoyo Rock Water Access Site and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Can you swim in Wanapum Lake?

    OpenStreetMap shows 1 public beach or swimming spot on the shore. None of our sources lists a lifeguard, so swim at your own risk and follow posted rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Wanapum Lake?

    Yes. We list 25 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 19 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Wanapum Lake?

    Wanapum Lake touches Rock Island in Kittitas County, Grant County, Douglas County and Chelan County, Washington.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Wanapum Lake? 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 Washington lakes & ponds · All waters in Rock Island