community in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Smiths Ferry, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Smiths Ferry?
- First forage: Mar 16 (willows)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (snowberry, willows, native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Smiths Ferry, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): willows, native wildflowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, native wildflowers, huckleberries, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, fireweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, willows, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 Smiths Ferry
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna; Middle Rocky Mountain Montane Douglas-fir Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi NW.
How Smiths Ferry ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 49th | 83rd | 73rd |
| Idaho | 90th | 88th | 86th | 42nd |
| Idaho Batholith | 91st | 94th | 78th | 31st |
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 Smiths Ferry: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Crouch 14 mi · Cascade 15 mi · Banks 16 mi · Garden Valley 16 mi · Placerville 25 mi · Horseshoe Bend 27 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 Smiths Ferry (44.2992, -116.0784); 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.