community in New Mexico
Honey bee forage in Gila Hot Springs, New Mexico
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in New Mexico. Against other New Mexico sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (19th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.13 mi NW.
When is the honey flow in Gila Hot Springs?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), spring-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to May 31, peaking late Apr (spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gila Hot Springs, 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 Apr 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), rabbitbrush; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, spotted and diffuse knapweed; amber
- Whole season (March to November): spring-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering shrubs, native wildflowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 Gila Hot Springs
Mostly: Madrean Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland; Mogollon Chaparral.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi NW.
How Gila Hot Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 19th | 60th | 17th | 37th |
| New Mexico | 56th | 89th | 32nd | 19th |
| Arizona/New Mexico Mountains | 76th | 88th | 42nd | 52nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 95% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Gila Hot Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Trout Valley 11 mi · Lake Roberts 11 mi · Lake Roberts Heights 12 mi · Pinos Altos 22 mi · Little Walnut Village 26 mi · Hanover 27 mi
All towns in New Mexico · National map · How the scoring works
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 Gila Hot Springs (33.1902, -108.2045); 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.