community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Rock Creek Park, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 59% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (33rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.5 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rock Creek Park?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking early May (summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rock Creek Park, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, spring-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spring-flowering shrubs; 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Rock Creek Park
Mostly: Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland; Western Great Plains Foothill and Piedmont Grassland; Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S.
How Rock Creek Park ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 40th | 52nd | 58th | 63rd |
| Colorado | 59th | 88th | 44th | 33rd |
| Southern Rockies | 65th | 99th | 33rd | 37th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 87% 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 Rock Creek Park: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fort Carson 5 mi · Stratmoor 6 mi · Security-Widefield 7 mi · Fountain 8 mi · Manitou Springs 12 mi · Colorado Springs 12 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 Rock Creek Park (38.7011, -104.8347); 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.