community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Bigfork, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (88th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.4 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bigfork?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, willows, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (snowberry, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bigfork, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, willows, snowberry; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, dandelion, alfalfa; 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 374 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Oct (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 63 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi W, blooms early May – late Jul (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 Bigfork
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Open water; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.9 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.93 mi W.
How Bigfork ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 60th | 86th | 96th |
| Montana | 98th | 99th | 95th | 88th |
| Northern Rockies | 91st | 80th | 84th | 96th |
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 Bigfork: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Woods Bay 5 mi · Somers 8 mi · Lakeside 9 mi · Forest Hill Village 10 mi · Bear Dance 13 mi · Rollins 14 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 Bigfork (48.0841, -114.0546); 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.