community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Smeltertown, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (68th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Smeltertown?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Smeltertown, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, spring-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, summer-flowering shrubs; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 97 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms late Jun – 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 Smeltertown
Mostly: Southern Rocky Mountain Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe; Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi E.
How Smeltertown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 50th | 75th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 87th | 86th | 79th | 68th |
| Southern Rockies | 88th | 99th | 73rd | 70th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Smeltertown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Salida 2 mi · Poncha Springs 4 mi · Maysville 12 mi · Howard 13 mi · Nathrop 14 mi · Garfield 15 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 Smeltertown (38.5523, -106.0084); 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.