community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Eldorado Springs, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.6 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Eldorado Springs?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Eldorado Springs, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers; 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); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
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 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi N, blooms early Jun – late Aug (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 Eldorado Springs
Mostly: Western Great Plains Foothill and Piedmont Grassland; Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland; Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi W.
How Eldorado Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 48th | 58th | 58th | 73rd |
| Colorado | 72nd | 94th | 45th | 50th |
| High Plains | 61st | 81st | 35th | 70th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 89% 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 Eldorado Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Paragon Estates 4 mi · Superior 5 mi · Boulder 6 mi · Louisville 6 mi · Coal Creek 7 mi · Valmont 7 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 Eldorado Springs (39.9393, -105.2491); 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.