city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Clifton, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in summer (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clifton?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clifton, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, weedy mustards; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, green/yellow rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; white, 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 3,291 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 3 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 Clifton
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe; Alfalfa; Great Basin & Intermountain Introduced Perennial Grassland and Forbland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.31 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.51 mi W.
How Clifton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 34th | 85th | 75th |
| Idaho | 86th | 66th | 92nd | 46th |
| Central Basin and Range | 98th | 85th | 99th | 55th |
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 Clifton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Oxford 5 mi · Dayton 5 mi · Preston 9 mi · Weston 11 mi · Malad City 13 mi · Franklin 16 mi
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 Clifton (42.1873, -112.0046); 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.