city in California
Honey bee forage in Mill Valley, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in spring (73rd percentile) and lowest in summer (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: grapes (nearest 3.6 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Mill Valley?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, maples)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mill Valley, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Grapes: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi NW, blooms early Apr – late Apr
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Mill Valley
Mostly: Mediterranean California Mixed Evergreen Forest; California Coastal Redwood Forest; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.55 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 81% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Mill Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 95th | 34th | 38th |
| California | 84th | 73rd | 60th | 72nd |
| Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains | 56th | 28th | 48th | 46th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Mill Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Alto 1 mi · Tamalpais-Homestead Valley 2 mi · Kentfield 2 mi · Strawberry 2 mi · Larkspur 2 mi · Corte Madera 2 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 Mill Valley (37.9081, -122.5423); 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.