Asphalt Paving in Government Camp, Oregon: 2026 Cost & Service Guide

Asphalt Paving in Government Camp, Oregon

Government Camp is the alpine village at the base of Mt Hood, sitting near 3,900 feet on Highway 26 in Clackamas County. It's ski country — Timberline and Ski Bowl draw traffic up the mountain all winter, and the town is full of cabins, lodges, and small commercial properties. Paving here is unlike paving anywhere in the valley below. The snow load is heavy, freeze-thaw is relentless, grades are steep, and the season for laying asphalt is short. A paving job built for these mountain conditions can hold up for years. One that isn't will crack and fail by the second winter.

This guide covers what goes into a durable Government Camp paving project, the alpine cost factors, and how to plan around the mountain's short window.

Building a Driveway That Survives a Mt Hood Winter

At this elevation, what's under the asphalt and how water is managed decide everything. The mountain's snow and freeze cycles punish any weakness in the build.

Sub-Base and Drainage

Work begins by stripping topsoil and organics, then grading so meltwater and runoff shed off the surface and away from the structure. On the mountain, snowmelt is constant through the season — water moving across or under the pavement, then freezing, is the single biggest threat. Steep grades, common around Government Camp cabins, make drainage planning even more important so that runoff is controlled rather than cutting channels or pooling at the base of a slope.

Aggregate Base

A compacted crushed-rock base, often toward the deeper end — 8 inches or more for a driveway in this heavy freeze-thaw environment — spreads loads and gives the asphalt a stable, well-draining foundation. At elevation, a strong, deep base is the difference between a driveway that lasts and one that heaves apart. Cutting the base short here all but guarantees early failure.

Asphalt Surface

Hot-mix asphalt is laid and compacted over the prepared base. Mountain driveways that see plow traffic and heavy vehicles generally want a thicker mat, often 3 to 4 inches, to take the abuse of snow removal and freeze-thaw. Compaction while the mix is hot gives the surface the density it needs to resist water intrusion through the long winter.

What Asphalt Paving Costs in Government Camp

Government Camp paving costs reflect three things metro jobs don't face: elevation, a short season, and steep mountain access. Hauling hot mix up Highway 26 to nearly 4,000 feet, working steep cabin lots, and fitting the job into a narrow weather window all add up.

Industry baseline ranges shown below. Real costs at Mt Hood elevation run higher due to haul, steep access, deeper base, and the short season. Use these as a reference, not a quote.

Project Type	Industry Baseline Range
Residential / cabin driveway (new)	$4–$8 per square foot
Driveway overlay / resurface	$3–$6 per square foot
Small commercial / lodge lot	$4–$10 per square foot
Base / sub-base work	varies with depth and grade

These reflect national averages. In Government Camp, the haul up the mountain, the deeper base required at elevation, steep-lot labor, and the compressed season push real numbers toward and well beyond the upper end. Our asphalt paving cost in Oregon guide breaks down the drivers. For sites needing grading on a slope first, see our excavation in Government Camp guide.

Permits and Local Considerations

Most residential cabin driveway paving in Clackamas County doesn't require a permit, but mountain sites can have wrinkles. A new approach onto Highway 26 may need an ODOT access permit, steep-slope work can trigger grading or erosion-control review, and properties within certain mountain overlays may have additional requirements. Drainage near streams and the heavy runoff of the corridor also draws erosion-control attention. A contractor familiar with Mt Hood corridor work will flag these before the job starts.

Timing Your Government Camp Paving Project

This is the factor that defines mountain paving. Hot-mix asphalt needs surface and air temperatures consistently above 50°F to compact and cure properly, and at Government Camp's elevation that window is short — generally a stretch of summer into early fall, and even then mountain weather can interrupt it. Snow can linger late and arrive early. Booking well ahead is essential up here, because crews have only so many good-weather days on the mountain each year, and they fill fast. Trying to squeeze a paving job into shoulder weather at this elevation risks a surface that never properly cures.

Protecting a New Government Camp Driveway

A new mountain driveway lasts longest with upkeep matched to the conditions:

• Let it cure first — Wait 60 to 90 days before the first sealcoat, which on the mountain may mean waiting for the next summer if paved late in the season.
• Seal cracks fast — Any crack is a path for meltwater into the base. Sealing before the snow flies stops freeze-thaw from prying it open.
• Sealcoat periodically — Reapplying protects against UV and water and helps the surface shed snowmelt.
• Plow carefully — Use plows and equipment that won't gouge the surface, and keep drainage paths clear so meltwater moves off rather than refreezing on the driveway.

Built deep and maintained right, a Government Camp driveway can take what the mountain dishes out for years.

Get a Government Camp Asphalt Paving Quote

Cojo Excavation & Asphalt serves the Mt Hood corridor from our Willamette Valley base, and we build for what the mountain actually does — deep base, controlled drainage on steep ground, and a thick, well-compacted surface that handles plow traffic and freeze-thaw. We give you a clear scope and an honest read on what your site needs.

Request a free paving estimate — we'll review your site and lay out the work and cost.

View our completed projects to see our work, and learn more about our asphalt paving services and driveway repair services for the Mt Hood corridor. If your existing driveway only needs repair, see our driveway repair in Government Camp guide.