community in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Roan Mountain, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Roan Mountain?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Roan 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 Apr 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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
- Alfalfa: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
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 Roan Mountain
Mostly: Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.56 mi N.
How Roan Mountain ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 94th | 42nd | 50th |
| Tennessee | 51st | 74th | 48th | 95th |
| Blue Ridge | 91st | 86th | 84th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 83% 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 Roan Mountain: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hampton 8 mi · Valley Forge 11 mi · Butler 12 mi · Elizabethton 14 mi · Unicoi 15 mi · Biltmore 15 mi
All towns in Tennessee · 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 Roan Mountain (36.1867, -82.0705); 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.