town in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Clifton, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 44% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (59th percentile) and lowest in summer (40th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.14 mi SW.
When is the honey flow in Clifton?
- First forage: Jan 16 (native wildflowers, dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking early Mar (native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clifton, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Mar 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): rabbitbrush, garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Clifton
Mostly: Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thornscrub; Chihuahuan Creosotebush Desert Scrub; Sonoran Mid-Elevation Desert Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi SW; open water 0.67 mi N.
How Clifton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 6th | 31st | 5th | 34th |
| Arizona | 44th | 59th | 40th | 55th |
| Madrean Archipelago | 13th | 12th | 24th | 25th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 89% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Clifton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Morenci 3 mi · York 9 mi · Duncan 22 mi · San Jose 23 mi · Solomon 25 mi · Franklin 27 mi
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Clifton (33.0296, -109.284); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.