town in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Castle Rock, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Castle Rock?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Castle Rock, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; 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
- Alfalfa: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
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 Castle Rock
Mostly: Rocky Mountain Gambel Oak-Mixed Montane Shrubland; Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Western Great Plains Foothill and Piedmont Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.34 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 77% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Castle Rock ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 72nd | 76th | 78th |
| Colorado | 97th | 99th | 82nd | 59th |
| Southwestern Tablelands | 99th | 89th | 98th | 55th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Castle Rock: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Castle Pines Village 5 mi · Franktown 6 mi · Castle Pines 6 mi · The Pinery 7 mi · Sedalia 8 mi · Stepping Stone 10 mi
All towns in Colorado · 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 Castle Rock (39.3762, -104.8529); 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.