community in California
Honey bee forage in Kirkwood, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in spring (8th). 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 Kirkwood?
- First forage: Apr 16 (kinnikinnick, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (spring-flowering shrubs, kinnikinnick, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Kirkwood, 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 Jun 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): kinnikinnick, spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion, native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, kinnikinnick, native wildflowers; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, wild buckwheats of the steppe; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Whole season (March to November): spring-flowering shrubs, kinnikinnick, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
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 Kirkwood
Mostly: Northern California Mesic Subalpine Woodland; California Montane Woodland and Chaparral; Mediterranean California Red Fir Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.59 mi N.
How Kirkwood ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 14th | 5th | 54th | 51st |
| California | 27th | 8th | 80th | 85th |
| Sierra Nevada | 22nd | 17th | 58th | 86th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Kirkwood: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Meyers 10 mi · Markleeville 13 mi · Alpine Village 15 mi · Bear Valley 15 mi · Mesa Vista 16 mi · South Lake Tahoe 17 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 Kirkwood (38.6893, -120.055); 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.