city in Montana
Honey bee forage in Columbia Falls, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Montana. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Montana sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.3 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); lentils (nearest 2.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Columbia Falls?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, willows)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Columbia Falls, 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): 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, snowberry, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, garden flowers; 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 56 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Oct (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi NW, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 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 Columbia Falls
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane Riparian Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.34 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.45 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 76% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Columbia Falls ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 69th | 85th | 98th |
| Montana | 98th | 99th | 93rd | 92nd |
| Northern Rockies | 94th | 93rd | 74th | 97th |
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 Columbia Falls: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hungry Horse 6 mi · Helena Flats 7 mi · Martin City 8 mi · Coram 8 mi · Whitefish 9 mi · Evergreen 11 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 Columbia Falls (48.3715, -114.1918); 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.