community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Gallatin River Ranch, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in summer (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 1.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gallatin River Ranch?
- First forage: Mar 16 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (native wildflowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (green/yellow rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Nov 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gallatin River Ranch, 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, native wildflowers, willows; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, green/yellow rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red, rubber rabbitbrush; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers, 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
- Alfalfa: about 496 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 47 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Sep (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 Gallatin River Ranch
Mostly: Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe; Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill-Valley Grassland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.61 mi S.
How Gallatin River Ranch ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 50th | 40th | 67th | 96th |
| Montana | 70th | 90th | 54th | 87th |
| Middle Rockies | 84th | 95th | 59th | 82nd |
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 Gallatin River Ranch: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Manhattan 3 mi · Logan 5 mi · Ponderosa Pines 9 mi · Churchill 11 mi · Three Forks 11 mi · Belgrade 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 Gallatin River Ranch (45.9021, -111.3294); 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.