town in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Westcliffe, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in spring (72nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.8 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Westcliffe?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Westcliffe, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi S, blooms early Jul – late 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 Westcliffe
Mostly: Southern Rocky Mountain Montane-Subalpine Grassland; Other Hay/Non Alfalfa; Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.33 mi NE.
How Westcliffe ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 63rd | 45th | 75th | 96th |
| Colorado | 88th | 72nd | 80th | 94th |
| Southern Rockies | 89th | 97th | 74th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 45% 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 Westcliffe: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Silver Cliff 4 mi · Crestone 16 mi · Cotopaxi 20 mi · Rockvale 23 mi · Williamsburg 24 mi · Coal Creek 24 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 Westcliffe (38.1342, -105.4653); 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.