city in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Gunnison, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in spring (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gunnison?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gunnison, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed, garden flowers; extra 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SE, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 1 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 Gunnison
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi NE; open water 0.37 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 67% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Gunnison ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 41st | 80th | 97th |
| Colorado | 93rd | 61st | 90th | 96th |
| Southern Rockies | 95th | 93rd | 87th | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Gunnison: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Crested Butte 22 mi · Pitkin 23 mi · Mount Crested Butte 25 mi · Cathedral 33 mi · Garfield 34 mi · Maysville 38 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 Gunnison (38.548, -106.9246); 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.