Saved Account Join
A limestone bluff rising out of fog above a gravel bar on the Buffalo National River.

The Overland Directory

Overland builders in Georgia

Shops that take a stock truck, SUV or van and turn it into a vehicle you can live out of for a week or a year.

Get free quotes

Buffalo National River, Arkansas

Overland builders in Georgia

1 listing

  1. LexTechs Overland Decatur, GA Toyota and Lexus specialist building overland rigs, from a first lift to a full expedition build, fitting armor, bumpers, wheels and tires, and doing routine service.

Georgia by the numbers

Acres of federal land 1
1.97M
5.3 percent of Georgia. The Forest Service holds 868,513 acres of it and the BLM holds none at all
Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia 2
4,784 ft
On the Towns and Union county line. Our own query of the USGS elevation surface at the summit reads 4,773. The low point is the Atlantic Ocean at sea level
Federal campgrounds a vehicle can reach 4
52
26 Corps of Engineers, 25 Forest Service and 1 Park Service. Forty-nine of them can be booked ahead
Acres of Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest 6
867,000
Across 26 counties and four ranger districts, with approximately 850 miles of recreation trails. The CRS puts all Forest Service land in Georgia at 868,513 acres
Acres in the Okefenokee refuge 40
407,000
The largest national wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi River. Of that, 353,981 acres is designated wilderness, closed to vehicles
Army Corps of Engineers lakes in Georgia 47
10
Allatoona, Carters, George W. Andrews, Hartwell, J. Strom Thurmond, Seminole, Sidney Lanier, Richard B. Russell, Walter F. George and West Point
Average yearly precipitation, statewide 5
50.0 in
The 1895 to 2020 average. Over 70 inches in the northeastern mountains and around 45 in the southeast. Yearly snowfall in the northern mountains averages 5 inches
Georgia Scenic Byways 28
17
Designated by the state transportation department. One of them, the Russell-Brasstown, also carries National Scenic Byway status, awarded June 15, 2000

What Georgia asks of a build

Build for water and for width, in that order. The state averages 50.0 inches of rain a year and over 70 in the northeastern mountains, so drainage, sealed connectors and underbody protection earn their keep here in a way no dry-state build ever tests. Then check your numbers: trail use on the Chattahoochee-Oconee is capped at 50 inches wide unless a trail is designated for full-size vehicles, and two campgrounds in the mountains cap recreational vehicles at 24 feet.

Tell a builder where you intend to drive. A rig aimed at Beasley Knob and its rock hill climbs wants a different specification from one aimed at gravel forest roads and a Corps lake shoreline, and in Georgia those are two separate trips rather than two ends of one.

The full guide to overlanding Georgia

What an overland builder does

A builder plans and installs the whole system rather than one part of it: suspension matched to the finished weight, protection where the vehicle actually touches the ground, electrical power sized to what you run, and storage, water, sleeping and recovery points that work together. The good ones start with how you travel and work backward to parts.

The work that matters most is the work you cannot see. Wiring that is fused, labeled and documented. Fasteners that stay tight on washboard. A finished weight that stays inside what the vehicle is rated to carry.

Most full builds cover

  1. 01Suspension and tires chosen for the loaded weight
  2. 02Bumpers, sliders, skid plates and rated recovery points
  3. 03House battery, charging, solar and lighting
  4. 04Storage, drawers, fridge and water
  5. 05Sleeping: a roof tent, a camper or an interior platform
  6. 06Mounts for communications and navigation

How to choose a builder

Any shop can show you a finished truck in good light. These questions tell you how it was built.

  1. 01Ask to see finished builds on your platform, and talk to an owner who has put miles on one if you can.
  2. 02Ask what the vehicle will weigh when it is done and how that compares to its gross vehicle weight rating. A builder who cannot answer has not done the math.
  3. 03Ask who does the electrical work and whether you get a wiring diagram at handover.
  4. 04Ask what is done in house and what is sent out.
  5. 05Get the scope, the parts list, the price and the payment schedule in writing before work starts, and ask how changes are handled.
  6. 06Ask what warranty covers their labor, separate from the manufacturers' warranties on parts.

What to have ready before you ask for a quote

A builder can only quote what you can describe. The form on this page asks for exactly these things, which is why a quote that comes back from it is worth something.

  1. 01Year, model, engine and drivetrain, and for vans the wheelbase and roof height
  2. 02What has already been done to it
  3. 03How you travel: weekends or months, how many people, which climates, how far from pavement
  4. 04What you need to carry: water, fuel, bikes, boats, tools
  5. 05A budget range and a date you would like it back

Questions people ask

How much does an overland build cost?

It depends on scope more than on the vehicle. Suspension, tires and a roof tent is a different project from a full electrical system with cabinetry and armor, and labor is usually the largest part of a full build. The only number worth planning around is a written quote against a defined scope, which is what the form on this page is for.

How long does a build take?

Bolt-on work can be days. Full builds take longer, and at busy shops the wait for a start date can be longer than the work itself. Ask every shop for both numbers: when they can start and how long they need the vehicle.

Should I build in stages or all at once?

Stages work if the order is right. Decide the finished load first, because springs chosen for an empty truck will be wrong for a full one. Run electrical before interiors go in, because pulling cabinets to add a wire is paying for the same work twice.

Will modifications affect my warranty or insurance?

They can. Ask the builder which work they have seen raise warranty questions on your platform, read your warranty terms, and tell your insurer what has been added so the build is covered for its real value.

How high is Georgia?

From Saint Marys at 10 feet to Brasstown Bald at 4,784. Altitude decides what your engine, your brakes and your lungs have to work with, and how late in the year the passes open.

Towns

  1. Suches A settlement at 2,796 feet where GA 60 and GA 180 cross, ringed by national forest, with Deep Hole and the Toccoa River a few miles off. 2,796 ft
  2. Hiawassee Towns County seat on US 76 beside Lake Chatuge. The GA Spur 180 turn to the Brasstown Bald parking lot is southwest of town. 1,969 ft
  3. Clayton Rabun County seat where US 76 crosses US 441, in the county that holds the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River, Rabun Bald and the Oakey Mountain trails. 1,933 ft
  4. Blairsville Union County seat where US 76 meets US 19 and 129. Blue Ridge Ranger District office, Beasley Knob two miles east, Brasstown Bald to the southeast. 1,891 ft
  5. Blue Ridge Fannin County seat on GA 515. The only approach to Jacks River Fields from January through March, and the town beside Lake Blue Ridge. 1,765 ft
  6. Cleveland White County seat on US 129. The Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Area check station is about eight miles north by US 129 and GA 75 Alternate. 1,569 ft
  7. Dahlonega Where GA 60 and US 19 start climbing into the Blue Ridge. The road to Woody Gap, Dockery Lake and the Whissenhunt trails leaves from here. 1,454 ft
  8. Helen On GA 75 in the upper Chattahoochee valley, at the eastern end of the Russell-Brasstown byway below Unicoi Gap and Anna Ruby Falls. 1,443 ft
  9. Ellijay Gilmer County seat where GA 52 meets GA 515. The Gates Chapel Road approach onto Forest Road 90 and Forest Road 68 starts here. 1,283 ft
  10. Gainesville Supervisor’s office for the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, on Lake Lanier, and the last full-size service town before the mountains. 1,242 ft
  11. LaFayette Walker County seat on US 27 in the Armuchee country, near the Ridge and Valley byway, Johns Mountain and Keown Falls. 823 ft
  12. Dalton On I-75 in the Great Valley. Houston Valley, the largest Forest Service off-highway vehicle system in Georgia, lies just west of town. 761 ft
  13. Chatsworth Murray County seat on US 411 under the Cohutta front. Conasauga Ranger District office, and the bottom of the gravel road to Lake Conasauga. 746 ft
  14. Eatonton Putnam County seat between Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair, and the Oconee Ranger District office about 60 miles southeast of Atlanta. 568 ft
  15. Folkston Charlton County town on US 1, the last services before the Suwannee Canal entrance to the Okefenokee and Swamp Island Drive. 79 ft
  16. Saint Marys End of GA 40 off I-95 and the mainland dock for the Cumberland Island ferry. Vehicles stay parked on this side of the sound. 10 ft

Passes, high roads and summits

  1. Brasstown Bald Brasstown Bald Spur (GA Spur 180): GA 180 to the Brasstown Bald parking lot 4,784 ft
  2. Rabun Bald Rabun County, near the Carolina line. Our own measurement at the USGS point, not an agency figure 4,697 ft
  3. Blood Mountain Union County, above Neel Gap. State Parks calls it the highest summit on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. Our own measurement at the USGS point 4,454 ft
  4. Tray Mountain Towns County. Anna Ruby Falls drops 153 feet off its flank. Our own measurement at the USGS point 4,422 ft
  5. Springer Mountain Fannin County, southern end of the Appalachian Trail. Our own measurement at the USGS point 3,780 ft
  6. Grassy Mountain Old CCC Camp Road, Forest Road 18 and Forest Road 68 to Lake Conasauga: Eton on US 411 to Lake Conasauga, or Gates Chapel Road and Forest Road 90 from Ellijay 3,688 ft
  7. Black Rock Mountain Black Rock Mountain State Park road: US 441 at Mountain City up to the summit visitor centre in Rabun County 3,640 ft
  8. Hogpen Gap Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway: A loop on GA 75 Alternate, GA 180, GA 348 and GA 17 and 75 north of Helen 3,499 ft
  9. Woody Gap GA 60 and GA 180 through Suches: Dahlonega north over Woody Gap to Suches, then GA 180 east to US 19 and 129 3,177 ft
  10. Neel Gap US 19 and US 129 over Neel Gap: Cleveland and Dahlonega north to Blairsville, past Vogel State Park 3,099 ft
  11. Unicoi Gap Towns County, where GA 75 crosses the Blue Ridge north of Helen. Our own measurement at the USGS point 2,956 ft
  12. Fort Mountain Cohutta-Chattahoochee Scenic Byway: Prater’s Mill in Whitfield County to a mountaintop overlook in Murray County, by GA 2, US 41 and GA 52 2,850 ft
  13. Johns Mountain Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway: A loop on US 27, GA 156, GA 136 and rural county roads, reached from I-75 exits 306 and 320 1,878 ft

Pass, road and summit elevations are the figures published by the agency that manages them. Town elevations are the town’s or county’s own figure where it publishes an exact one; the rest are from the U.S. Geological Survey (3D Elevation Program at the place’s official coordinates), retrieved September 18, 2026. Every source is listed at the foot of the page.

Free build quotes

Looking for overland builders in Georgia? Tell us about the project and get free quotes.

Tell us about your project

Free build quotes

Tell us about your project

What are you building on?

Do you have it yet?

What do you want done?

Choose everything that applies.

What are you working with?

Budget for this work

When you want it done

A range is enough. It tells a builder which conversation to have with you.

Where should the shop be?

How far will you go for the right shop?

Where should the quotes go?

Best way to reach you

Free, and no obligation. We use these details only to connect you with builders. See our privacy page.

Sources for this page

59
  1. Congressional Research Service. Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data (R42346), Tables 1 and 2, data as of September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey. Elevations and Distances in the United States, online edition, Highest and Lowest Elevations table. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  3. U.S. Geological Survey. Geographic Names Information System and 3D Elevation Program point query. Elevation of the 3DEP surface at the GNIS coordinates of the named place, rounded to the nearest foot. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  4. Recreation.gov. Recreation Information Database (RIDB) full export. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  5. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. State Climate Summaries 2022: Georgia. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  6. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest home page. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  7. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. About the Area, with the Scenic Drives and trail mileage entries. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  8. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Frequently Asked Questions, covering developed and dispersed camping limits, OHV width restrictions and passes. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  9. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV), which cites O.C.G.A. 40-2-20, 40-2-8, 40-1-1 and 40-6-362. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  10. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Forest Supervisor’s Orders, Rules, Regulations, and Guidelines. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  11. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Beasley Knob OHV Trail System. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  12. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Houston Valley OHV Trails. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  13. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Whissenhunt OHV Trails. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  14. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Davenport Mountain OHV Trails. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  15. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Oakey Mountain OHV Trails. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  16. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Locust Stake OHV Trail System. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  17. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Windy Gap, Milma Creek, and Tibbs OHV Trails. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  18. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Brasstown Bald Visitor Information Center. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  19. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Lake Conasauga. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  20. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Cohutta Wilderness Trailheads, with the annual winter gate closures. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  21. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Jacks River Fields Campground. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  22. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. John’s Mountain Overlook. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  23. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Cooper Creek Recreation Area. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  24. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Frank Gross Recreation Area, in the Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  25. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Deep Hole Recreation Area, with its GA 60 and GA 180 directions. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  26. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Dockery Lake Recreation Area. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  27. USDA Forest Service, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Duncan Ridge Road reopens following culvert replacement project. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  28. Georgia Department of Transportation. Scenic Byways: Best Driving Roads in Georgia, listing all 17 designated corridors. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  29. Georgia Department of Transportation. Russell-Brasstown National Scenic Byway flyer, with the GA 75 Alternate, GA 180, GA 348 and GA 17 route. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  30. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites. ParkPass. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  31. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites. Park Rules and Regulations. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  32. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites. Camping in Georgia State Parks. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  33. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites. About Our Division. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  34. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites. Vogel State Park. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  35. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites. Black Rock Mountain State Park. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  36. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites. Fort Mountain State Park. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  37. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites. Cloudland Canyon State Park. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  38. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites. Tallulah Gorge State Park. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  39. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites. Providence Canyon State Park. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  40. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, About Us. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  41. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Visit Us, with refuge hours and entrance pass terms. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  42. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Auto Tour (Swamp Island Drive). Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  43. National Park Service, Cumberland Island National Seashore. Directions, which states that the ferry is not a car ferry. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  44. National Park Service, Cumberland Island National Seashore. Camping, with the mainland overnight parking and gear transport rules. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  45. National Park Service, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Park Statistics: 48 river miles, 15 land units, 1 river unit. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  46. National Park Service. Georgia state page, listing the 11 National Park System units in the state. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  47. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Corps Lakes Gateway: Georgia, listing the ten Corps projects in the state. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  48. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Corps Lakes Gateway: Lake Sidney Lanier. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  49. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Corps Lakes Gateway: Allatoona Lake. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  50. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Corps Lakes Gateway: Hartwell Lake. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  51. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Corps Lakes Gateway: J. Strom Thurmond Lake. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  52. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Corps Lakes Gateway: Richard B. Russell Lake. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  53. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Corps Lakes Gateway: Walter F. George Lake. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  54. Office of the Federal Register. 36 CFR 327.7, Camping, and 36 CFR 327.12, Restrictions, for Corps of Engineers water resource projects. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  55. Georgia Forestry Commission. Burn Permits and Notifications, covering GA Code 12-6-90 and the Environmental Protection Division summer burn ban. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  56. Georgia Department of Revenue. Registering a Multipurpose Off-Highway Vehicle. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  57. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division. Hunting, which states the count of Georgia wildlife management areas. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  58. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division. Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Area. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
  59. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division. Sapelo Island Wildlife Management Area. Retrieved September 19, 2026.

Reviewed September 19, 2026. Conditions, closures and rules change; check with the managing agency before you travel.

More in Georgia

Keep going

Join Overlanding Life
Saved Account

Start with a region

Browse the directory