city in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Cripple Creek, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (35th). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, 0.3 mi SW.
When is the honey flow in Cripple Creek?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), willows)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cripple Creek, 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 Jun 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 Cripple Creek
Mostly: Southern Rocky Mountain Montane-Subalpine Grassland; Southern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland; Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.3 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.35 mi SW.
How Cripple Creek ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 57th | 21st | 77th | 98th |
| Colorado | 84th | 35th | 85th | 96th |
| Southern Rockies | 85th | 62nd | 82nd | 95th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 61% 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 Cripple Creek: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Victor 4 mi · Goldfield 4 mi · Midland 7 mi · Divide 14 mi · Florissant 15 mi · Green Mountain Falls 16 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 Cripple Creek (38.7466, -105.185); 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.