city in Oregon
Honey bee forage in Hood River, Oregon
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Oregon. Against other Oregon sites it stands out most in spring (77th percentile) and lowest in fall (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: pears (nearest 0.8 mi SW); cherries (nearest 0.7 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Hood River?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, maples, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hood River, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, maples, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, maples; extra 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
- Pears: about 1,284 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SE, blooms early Apr – late Apr
- Cherries: about 44 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi S, blooms late Mar – late Apr
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 Hood River
Mostly: East Cascades Ponderosa Pine Forest and Woodland; Open water; Pears.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.37 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 65% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Pears: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025); Cherries, sweet: insecticides used on about 84% of surveyed US acres (2025); Cherries, tart: insecticides used on about 45% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Hood River ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 92nd | 51st | 44th |
| Oregon | 65th | 77th | 35th | 32nd |
| Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills | 76th | 98th | 27th | 16th |
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 Hood River: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Odell 5 mi · Mosier 6 mi · Mount Hood 12 mi · Rowena 12 mi · Parkdale 14 mi · Chenoweth 15 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 Hood River (45.7091, -121.526); 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.