town in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Silver Cliff, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 43% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in fall (91st percentile) and lowest in spring (38th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.23 mi NW.
When is the honey flow in Silver Cliff?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: May 1 to Sep 30, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Oct 16 to Oct 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Silver Cliff, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, spring-flowering shrubs; extra 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, likely to set over some months
- 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), native wildflowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
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 Silver Cliff
Mostly: Southern Rocky Mountain Montane-Subalpine Grassland; Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland; Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.43 mi N.
How Silver Cliff ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 32nd | 24th | 60th | 94th |
| Colorado | 43rd | 38th | 48th | 91st |
| Southern Rockies | 54th | 67th | 37th | 87th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 96% 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 Silver Cliff: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Westcliffe 4 mi · Crestone 19 mi · Rockvale 21 mi · Coal Creek 21 mi · Williamsburg 22 mi · Brookside 23 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 Silver Cliff (38.1292, -105.3992); 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.