community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Cooke City, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in spring (2nd). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, 0.34 mi N.
When is the honey flow in Cooke City?
- First forage: May 1 (willows)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 30, peaking late Aug (huckleberries, native wildflowers, snowberry)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cooke City, 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 Jul 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): willows, native wildflowers, kinnikinnick, dandelion; dark amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): huckleberries, native wildflowers, snowberry, willows; dark amber
- Fall honey (September to November): huckleberries, native wildflowers, fireweed, snowberry; white
- Whole season (March to November): huckleberries, native wildflowers, willows, fireweed; light amber
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 Cooke City
Mostly: Rocky Mountain Subalpine Dry-Mesic Spruce-Fir Forest and Woodland; Northern Rocky Mountain Subalpine Woodland and Parkland; Rocky Mountain Lodgepole Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi N.
How Cooke City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 42nd | 1st | 69th | 99th |
| Montana | 62nd | 2nd | 58th | 97th |
| Middle Rockies | 76th | 12th | 65th | 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 Cooke City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Silver Gate 3 mi · Nye 29 mi · Luther 30 mi · Roscoe 31 mi · Red Lodge 34 mi · Jardine 35 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 Cooke City (45.0187, -109.9119); 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.