village in New York
Honey bee forage in Saranac Lake, New York
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in New York. Against other New York sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in spring (42nd). 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 Saranac Lake?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Saranac Lake, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 Saranac Lake
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir Forest; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.09 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 53% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Saranac Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 60th | 72nd | 68th |
| New York | 62nd | 42nd | 76th | 85th |
| Northeastern Highlands | 82nd | 42nd | 94th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 56% 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 Saranac Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lake Placid 8 mi · Paul Smiths 9 mi · Wilmington 16 mi · Tupper Lake 18 mi · Au Sable Forks 24 mi · Redford 25 mi
All towns in New York · 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 Saranac Lake (44.3259, -74.1309); 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.