community in Colorado
Honey bee forage in St. Mary's, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in spring (3rd). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in St. Mary's?
- First forage: May 1 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 30, peaking early Jul (huckleberries, snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Nov 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of St. Mary's, 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 Jul 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): willows, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, kinnikinnick; amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): huckleberries, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, snowberry; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): huckleberries, snowberry, fireweed, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): huckleberries, snowberry, willows, dandelion; 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
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 St. Mary's
Mostly: Rocky Mountain Subalpine Dry-Mesic Spruce-Fir Forest and Woodland; Rocky Mountain Lodgepole Pine Forest; Rocky Mountain Aspen Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.03 mi SW; open water 0.05 mi SW.
How St. Mary's ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 47th | 1st | 73rd | 99th |
| Colorado | 72nd | 3rd | 74th | 99th |
| Southern Rockies | 75th | 6th | 68th | 98th |
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 St. Mary's: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Downieville-Lawson-Dumont 4 mi · Empire 4 mi · Georgetown 7 mi · Central 7 mi · Black Hawk 8 mi · Winter Park 8 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 St. Mary's (39.8165, -105.6471); 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.