community in Montana
Honey bee forage in Maverick Mountain, Montana
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Montana. Against other Montana sites it stands out most in fall (91st percentile) and lowest in spring (17th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Maverick Mountain?
- First forage: Apr 16 (willows, dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Aug (native wildflowers, snowberry)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry, native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Nov 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Maverick Mountain, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): native wildflowers, willows, arrowleaf balsamroot, dandelion; amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): spotted and diffuse knapweed, snowberry, native wildflowers, fireweed; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): snowberry, native wildflowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, willows; 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
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 Maverick Mountain
Mostly: Rocky Mountain Lodgepole Pine Forest; Middle Rocky Mountain Montane Douglas-fir Forest and Woodland; Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi W.
How Maverick Mountain ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 48th | 12th | 73rd | 97th |
| Montana | 68th | 17th | 66th | 91st |
| Middle Rockies | 82nd | 61st | 80th | 89th |
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 Maverick Mountain: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Jackson 15 mi · Argenta 16 mi · Glen 21 mi · Wisdom 21 mi · Dillon 27 mi · Wise River 27 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 Maverick Mountain (45.4181, -113.111); 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.