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Colorado

Honey bee forage and the honey flow in Colorado

Across 482 towns in Colorado, the main honey flow typically runs from about Apr 24 to Aug 15, peaking around Jun 8. First forage worth flying for comes around Mar 16, and the season ends around Oct 31. Few towns show a dearth in a typical year.

What makes the honey in Colorado

Most common honey plants across the state's towns: clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs.

Most common bee crops within flight range of towns: alfalfa, corn, sorghum, millet, sunflower, pumpkins.

How the state's towns rank: the median town sits at the 62nd percentile of random land across the US.

State-wide figures are medians over the towns below, each scored at its Census center point. Your own spot can differ a lot; check it.

The national forage map over Colorado: darker is more forage for honey bees. Tap anywhere for that spot's report, or open the national map.

Best and lowest of the state's sample

Of 3,000 random land points in Colorado: the best is near Cherry Hills Village, CO (91st percentile in the US); the lowest is near Towaoc, CO. All notable spots.

Every town in Colorado

482 cities, towns, villages, boroughs and census-designated communities, each with its honey flow dates, honey plants, bee crops and ranking.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y

    A

    B

    C

    D

    E

    F

    G

    H

    • Hartman town · flow Jun 1 to Aug 15
    • Hartsel community · flow May 16 to Sep 15
    • Hasty community · flow Mar 16 to Aug 31
    • Haswell town · flow Apr 1 to Aug 31
    • Haxtun town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 15
    • Hayden town · flow May 16 to Sep 15
    • Heeney community · flow Jun 1 to Aug 31
    • Hidden Lake community · flow May 16 to Aug 31
    • Highlands Ranch community · flow Apr 16 to Jul 15
    • Hillrose town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 15
    • Hoehne community · flow Jun 1 to Aug 15
    • Holly town · flow Apr 16 to Aug 15
    • Holly Hills community · flow Apr 1 to Jul 15
    • Holyoke city · flow Apr 16 to Aug 15
    • Hooper town · flow Apr 16 to Sep 15
    • Hot Sulphur Springs town · flow May 16 to Aug 31
    • Hotchkiss town · flow Apr 16 to Aug 15
    • Howard community · flow May 1 to Aug 15
    • Hudson town · flow Jun 1 to Aug 31
    • Hugo town · flow Apr 1 to Jul 15

    I

    J

    K

    • Keenesburg town · flow Apr 1 to Aug 31
    • Ken Caryl community · flow Apr 16 to Jul 15
    • Kersey town · flow Jul 1 to Sep 15
    • Keystone town · flow Jun 1 to Sep 15
    • Kim town · flow Mar 16 to Sep 15
    • Kiowa town · flow Apr 16 to Sep 15
    • Kirk community · flow May 1 to Jul 31
    • Kit Carson town · flow Apr 1 to Aug 15
    • Kittredge community · flow May 16 to Aug 15
    • Kremmling town · flow May 1 to Aug 31

    L

    M

    N

    O

    • Oak Creek town · flow May 16 to Aug 15
    • Olathe town · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Olney Springs town · flow Mar 16 to Aug 15
    • Ophir town · flow Jul 1 to Sep 30
    • Orchard community · flow Apr 1 to Aug 15
    • Orchard City town · flow Jun 1 to Aug 15
    • Orchard Mesa community · flow Apr 1 to Jun 30
    • Ordway town · flow Mar 16 to Jul 15
    • Otis town · flow Apr 1 to Aug 15
    • Ouray city · flow Jun 1 to Aug 31
    • Ovid town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 15

    P

    R

    S

    T

    U

    V

    • Vail town · flow Jun 1 to Aug 31
    • Valdez community · flow Apr 16 to Jul 15
    • Valmont community · flow Apr 1 to Jul 15
    • Vernon community · flow Jul 1 to Jul 31
    • Victor city · flow May 16 to Sep 15
    • Vilas town · flow Jun 16 to Jul 31
    • Vineland community · flow Jun 1 to Aug 15
    • Vona town · flow Apr 1 to Aug 15

    W

    Y

    • Yampa town · flow May 1 to Aug 15
    • Yuma city · flow Apr 16 to Jul 31

    Estimates from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources · Other states.