community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Jackson, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in fall (100th percentile) and lowest in spring (49th). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Jackson?
- First forage: Apr 16 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Oct 15, peaking late Jun (native wildflowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Dec 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Jackson, 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, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, sweet clovers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): native wildflowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, willows; light amber, likely to set over some months
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 Jackson
Mostly: Interior Western North American Temperate Ruderal Grassland; Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe; Rocky Mountain Alpine-Montane Wet Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi S.
How Jackson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 25th | 83rd | 100th |
| Montana | 97th | 49th | 89th | 100th |
| Middle Rockies | 98th | 83rd | 96th | 99th |
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 Jackson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Maverick Mountain 15 mi · Wisdom 17 mi · Argenta 27 mi · Grant 30 mi · Glen 36 mi · Wise River 37 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 Jackson (45.3679, -113.4097); 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.