Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for 97028 — Government Camp, OR

ZIP code 97028 (Government Camp, Clackamas County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is May 27 and the first fall frost October 9.

Where ZIP 97028 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
Coldest night−17.8 to −15 °C
Last frostMay 27
First frostOct 9
2012 zone7a

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 7a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Government Camp, OR…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Government Camp, OR

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 27median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsJune 14only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 9median — 10% chance by Sep 18
Growing season134 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around May 3 and returns around October 28.

From the NOAA station Government Camp, OR — 3 miles away, elevation 3,980 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in 97028

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Apr 15 – Apr 29
SpinachSow outdoors · Apr 15 – May 6
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · May 6 – May 20
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 29 – May 13
PotatoesPlant outdoors · May 6 – May 20
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 29 – May 13
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · May 6 – May 20
TomatoesStart indoors · Apr 1 – Apr 15
TomatoesTransplant · Jun 3 – Jun 17
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Jun 10 – Jun 24
BeansSow outdoors · Jun 3 – Jun 17
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Jun 3 – Jun 17
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Jun 3 – Jun 17
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 14 – Aug 28
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 25 – Oct 30
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 27) and first fall frost (Oct 9) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 97028 came on Apr 3 — 25 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 28).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 7a in Oregon

624 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Oregon, and rated by the USDA to survive 0 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 40

Alaska cedar75 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −22 °Fbalsam poplar80 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −79 °Fbigleaf maple60 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −14 °Fblack locust60 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −37 °Fboxelder60 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FBrewer spruce100 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −13 °F

Shrubs 119

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Falderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °Falpine laurel1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −28 °Fantelope bitterbrush6 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °Fbeaked hazelnut15 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °Fbig sagebrush4 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 290

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine bistort1 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine mountainsorrel1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °FAmerican alpine speedwell1 ft · blooms summer · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican bistort1.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Grasses 164

Alaska brome5 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −18 °FAlaska oniongrass3 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Falkali cordgrass3 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine timothy1.4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °FAmerican beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °F

Vines 2

riverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fwestern white clematis1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Government Camp, OR.

Soil in Government Camp, OR

The center of ZIP 97028 is mapped as No Digital Data Available: built-over ground without natural soil data. Garden soil here is usually imported or disturbed — test before you plant.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 97028; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Government Camp, OR

Summer high70 °Faverage high, August
Winter low26 °Faverage low, January
Hot days1days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights170nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days950base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 39 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 44 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation89.8 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall233 inper year; 156 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32 °FJanuary: average high 37 °F, low 26 °F 37°26° JanFebruary: average high 38 °F, low 26 °F 38°26° FebMarch: average high 41 °F, low 28 °F 41°28° MarApril: average high 45 °F, low 31 °F 45°31° AprMay: average high 54 °F, low 36 °F 54°36° MayJune: average high 59 °F, low 41 °F 59°41° JunJuly: average high 69 °F, low 48 °F 69°48° JulAugust: average high 70 °F, low 48 °F 70°48° AugSeptember: average high 64 °F, low 45 °F 64°45° SepOctober: average high 53 °F, low 37 °F 53°37° OctNovember: average high 42 °F, low 30 °F 42°30° NovDecember: average high 35 °F, low 26 °F 35°26° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″2″4″6″8″10″12″14″January: 12.61 in precipitation, 48.8 in snowfall 12.6❄49 JanFebruary: 9.64 in precipitation, 39.5 in snowfall 9.6❄40 FebMarch: 9.41 in precipitation, 35.6 in snowfall 9.4❄36 MarApril: 7.78 in precipitation, 17.6 in snowfall 7.8❄18 AprMay: 5.75 in precipitation, 4.2 in snowfall 5.8❄4 MayJune: 4.01 in precipitation, 0.6 in snowfall 4.0❄1 JunJuly: 0.88 in precipitation 0.9 JulAugust: 1.09 in precipitation 1.1 AugSeptember: 3.06 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.1 SepOctober: 8.42 in precipitation, 3.8 in snowfall 8.4❄4 OctNovember: 12.69 in precipitation, 30.6 in snowfall 12.7❄31 NovDecember: 14.43 in precipitation, 51.6 in snowfall 14.4❄52 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Government Camp, OR (3 mi away); precipitation: Government Camp, OR (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

8 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

970497b
Rhododendron, OR · 7 mi
970678a
Welches, OR · 9 mi
970118a
Brightwood, OR · 13 mi
970417b
Mount Hood Parkdale, OR · 14 mi
970558b
Sandy, OR · 18 mi
970238a
Estacada, OR · 20 mi
970198b
Corbett, OR · 23 mi
970317b
Hood River, OR · 24 mi

Oregon planting zones →

Questions about 97028

What planting zone is ZIP code 97028?

ZIP code 97028 (Government Camp, OR) is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 0 to 5 °F (−17.8 to −15 °C).

When is the last frost in Government Camp, OR?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 97028 is May 27; after June 14 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Government Camp station.

When is the first frost in Government Camp, OR?

The median first fall frost near 97028 is October 9, giving a median frost-free growing season of 134 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 97028?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Apr 1 – Apr 15 and set transplants outside around Jun 3 – Jun 17, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 97028 get?

About 89.8 inches of precipitation a year and 233 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Government Camp station).

How hot do summers get in Government Camp, OR?

The average high peaks at 70 °F in August, with about 1 days a year at 90 °F or more.

Did spring come early in Government Camp, OR in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 97028 came on Apr 3 in 2026, 25 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 28), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Government Camp, OR?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 97028 is 15 h 39 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).