Abstract: As public demand for recreation grows, global research on reservoir recreation has gained increasing attention. Using bibliometric analysis based on Web of Science, 386 English-language journal articles were examined. Results indicate: ① The number of publications exhibits a wave-like growth trend, with research progress divided into three phases: Emergence (before 2000), Development (2000–2012), and Deepening (after 2012). Research themes have evolved from foundational understanding of reservoir recreation to multidisciplinary development; ② Key content centers on four dimensions: recreational value, recreational experience, recreational impacts, and recreational management, reflecting phased differences in reservoir and dam recreational utilization. ③ Current reservoir recreation utilization in China remains low. Recognizing the recreational value within multifunctional reservoir utilization is essential, with measures achievable through three pathways: legal empowerment, system coordination, and funding guarantees. This research offers theoretical insights for enhancing multifunctional utilization of Chinese reservoirs and advancing standardized management of reservoir recreation.