city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Hayden Lake, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.7 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hayden Lake?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 30 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hayden Lake, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, snowberry; extra 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 428 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Oct (grown 2 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 Hayden Lake
Mostly: Open water; Northern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Hayden Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 66th | 74th | 79th |
| Idaho | 84th | 97th | 50th | 52nd |
| Northern Rockies | 55th | 89th | 2nd | 87th |
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 Hayden Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hayden 2 mi · Dalton Gardens 2 mi · Coeur d'Alene 5 mi · Huetter 6 mi · Fernan Lake Village 6 mi · Rathdrum 7 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 Hayden Lake (47.7645, -116.7561); 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.