community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Bridger, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in summer (69th percentile) and lowest in spring (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bridger?
- First forage: Apr 16 (willows)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Aug (snowberry, willows, native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bridger, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): willows, native wildflowers, huckleberries, serviceberry; dark amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, native wildflowers, willows, huckleberries; dark amber
- Fall honey (September to November): snowberry, spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, fireweed; extra light amber
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, willows, native wildflowers, huckleberries; amber
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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi S, blooms early Aug – 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 Bridger
Mostly: Middle Rocky Mountain Montane Douglas-fir Forest and Woodland; Rocky Mountain Lodgepole Pine Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.28 mi SE.
How Bridger ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 45th | 17th | 75th | 82nd |
| Montana | 65th | 25th | 69th | 44th |
| Middle Rockies | 79th | 71st | 85th | 39th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 54% 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 Bridger: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Springhill 10 mi · Sedan 11 mi · Bozeman 11 mi · Belgrade 14 mi · King Arthur Park 15 mi · Clyde Park 15 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 Bridger (45.8042, -110.8964); 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.