community in California
Honey bee forage in Yosemite West, California
Estimated forage here is better than about 49% of sites in California. Against other California sites it stands out most in summer (80th percentile) and lowest in fall (31st). 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 Yosemite West?
- First forage: Mar 16 (kinnikinnick, dandelion, maples)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30, peaking early May (kinnikinnick, snowberry, spring-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Yosemite West, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): kinnikinnick, snowberry, spring-flowering shrubs, oregon grape; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, summer-flowering shrubs, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, kinnikinnick, spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 West
Mostly: Mediterranean California Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Mediterranean California Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Northern and Central California Dry-Mesic Chaparral.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.55 mi NW.
How Yosemite West ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 72nd | 54th | 14th |
| California | 49th | 48th | 80th | 31st |
| Sierra Nevada | 68th | 65th | 59th | 28th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 92% 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 West: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Foresta 4 mi · El Portal 4 mi · Wawona 8 mi · Yosemite Valley 10 mi · Fish Camp 12 mi · Midpines 13 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 West (37.6482, -119.7182); 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.