city in Washington
Honey bee forage in Liberty Lake, Washington
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Washington. Against other Washington sites it stands out most in fall (91st percentile) and lowest in spring (64th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 2.5 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 1.7 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Liberty Lake?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 30 (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Liberty 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, snowberry, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): snowberry, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, snowberry, alfalfa; 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
- Alfalfa: about 197 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Oct (grown 5 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 Liberty Lake
Mostly: Northern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna; Northern Rocky Mountain Montane-Foothill Deciduous Shrubland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.87 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 80% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Liberty Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 73rd | 82nd | 88th |
| Washington | 66th | 64th | 65th | 91st |
| Northern Rockies | 89th | 97th | 52nd | 92nd |
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 Liberty Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Otis Orchards-East Farms 3 mi · Spokane Valley 6 mi · Millwood 8 mi · Green Bluff 13 mi · Mead 14 mi · Rockford 15 mi
All towns in Washington · 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 Liberty Lake (47.6685, -117.1042); 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.