city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Grand Marais, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 22% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (53rd percentile) and lowest in summer (40th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.58 mi SW.
When is the honey flow in Grand Marais?
- First forage: Apr 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Jun (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Grand Marais, 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 Jun 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; 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
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 Grand Marais
Mostly: Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Aspen-Birch Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Sub-boreal Mesic Balsam Fir-Spruce Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.58 mi SW; open water 0.69 mi S.
How Grand Marais ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 55th | 45th | 76th | 63rd |
| Minnesota | 22nd | 53rd | 40th | 42nd |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 44th | 13th | 91st | 86th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 71% 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 Grand Marais: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lutsen 17 mi · Finland 48 mi · Silver Bay 54 mi · Beaver Bay 57 mi · Winton 69 mi · Ely 71 mi
All towns in Minnesota · 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 Grand Marais (47.7586, -90.3443); 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.