community in Arizona
Honey bee forage in Gold Canyon, Arizona
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Arizona. Against other Arizona sites it stands out most in spring (71st percentile) and lowest in summer (49th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Gold Canyon?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: May 1 to Jun 15 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gold Canyon, 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 Feb 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, rabbitbrush, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, rabbitbrush; extra 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 Gold Canyon
Mostly: Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub; Madrean Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi SE.
How Gold Canyon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 17th | 41st | 8th | 34th |
| Arizona | 79th | 71st | 49th | 54th |
| Sonoran Basin and Range | 82nd | 79th | 87th | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Gold Canyon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Apache Junction 7 mi · Queen Valley 9 mi · Queen Creek 14 mi · San Tan Valley 15 mi · Mesa 17 mi · Superior 18 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 Gold Canyon (33.3639, -111.423); 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.