community in California
Honey bee forage in Yosemite Valley, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 50% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in fall (75th percentile) and lowest in spring (50th). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Yosemite Valley?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Yosemite 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 May 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, snowberry; 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 Yosemite Valley
Mostly: California Montane Woodland and Chaparral; Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Sierra Nevada Cliff and Canyon.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Yosemite Valley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 50th | 76th | 47th | 40th |
| California | 50th | 50th | 74th | 75th |
| Sierra Nevada | 70th | 67th | 48th | 71st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 87% 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 Yosemite Valley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Foresta 10 mi · Yosemite West 10 mi · El Portal 12 mi · Wawona 14 mi · Fish Camp 18 mi · Midpines 23 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 Yosemite Valley (37.7425, -119.5776); 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.