community in California
Honey bee forage in Alta Sierra, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (79th percentile) and lowest in fall (50th). 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 Alta Sierra?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alta Sierra, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 Alta Sierra
Mostly: Mediterranean California Lower Montane Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Mixed Oak Woodland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 57% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Alta Sierra ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 97th | 35th | 25th |
| California | 77th | 79th | 61st | 50th |
| Sierra Nevada | 97th | 95th | 33rd | 47th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 54% 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 Alta Sierra: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Colfax 6 mi · Lake of the Pines 6 mi · Grass Valley 7 mi · Meadow Vista 9 mi · Rough and Ready 9 mi · Penn Valley 9 mi
All towns in California · National map · How the scoring works
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 Alta Sierra (39.1262, -121.0491); 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.