community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Hungry Horse, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in spring and summer (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.5 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hungry Horse?
- First forage: Apr 1 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jun (snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, huckleberries)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hungry Horse, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, willows, clovers: white, alsike and red, huckleberries; amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, huckleberries, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, huckleberries; 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 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Nov (grown 4 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 Hungry Horse
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Northern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest; Rocky Mountain Lodgepole Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.27 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.27 mi SW.
How Hungry Horse ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 38th | 83rd | 73rd |
| Montana | 88th | 89th | 89th | 28th |
| Canadian Rockies | 79th | 90th | 75th | 26th |
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 Hungry Horse: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Martin City 2 mi · Coram 3 mi · Columbia Falls 6 mi · West Glacier 8 mi · Helena Flats 11 mi · Whitefish 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 Hungry Horse (48.3838, -114.0649); 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.