city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Elk River, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (16th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.11 mi NW.
When is the honey flow in Elk River?
- First forage: Mar 16 (willows)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (snowberry, huckleberries, willows)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elk River, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): willows, huckleberries, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, huckleberries, native wildflowers, mallow ninebark; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, willows, huckleberries, native wildflowers; 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 Elk River
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi NE.
How Elk River ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 56th | 80th | 54th |
| Idaho | 82nd | 93rd | 69th | 16th |
| Northern Rockies | 50th | 70th | 21st | 44th |
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 Elk River: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bovill 11 mi · Deary 18 mi · Orofino 21 mi · Peck 24 mi · Fernwood 25 mi · Kendrick 26 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 Elk River (46.783, -116.1811); 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.