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

The Overland Directory

Overland builders in Louisiana

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.

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Buffalo National River, Arkansas

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Louisiana by the numbers

Acres of federal land 1
1.39M
4.8 percent of Louisiana. The Forest Service holds 608,478 acres, the Fish and Wildlife Service 593,219 and the BLM 5,383, with no BLM routes recorded in the national layer
Driskill Mountain, the highest point in Louisiana 4
535 ft
In Bienville Parish. Our own query of the USGS elevation surface at the summit reads 534. The lowest point is New Orleans at 8 feet below sea level
Acres of Kisatchie National Forest 9
604,000
The only national forest in Louisiana, across seven parishes and five ranger districts, designated in 1930. The CRS puts all Forest Service land in the state at 608,478 acres
Federal campgrounds a vehicle can reach 2
15
Twelve Forest Service and three Corps of Engineers. Six can be booked ahead and nine are first come only
Acres of state wildlife management areas, refuges and conservation areas 29
1.6M
Held by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, which publishes width, weight, tire and season limits for every vehicle on them
Off-highway vehicle trail on the national forest 12
175 mi
On four designated multiple-use systems: Claiborne, Sandstone, Livingston and Enduro. The same forest carries over 320 miles of hiking trail and over 230 miles of equestrian trail
Average yearly precipitation, statewide 5
57.2 in
The 1895 to 2020 average, from about 50 inches in the north to about 70 in the southeast. A typical station records more than 60 thunderstorms a year, second only to Florida
Corps of Engineers projects in Louisiana 22
12
Atchafalaya Basin, Bayou Bodcau, Bonnet Carre Spillway, Caddo, Old River Lock, four Ouachita-Black River pools, Pearl River, Red River Waterway and Wallace

What Louisiana asks of a build

Build for water and for the tape measure, in that order. The state takes 57.2 inches of rain a year and the number of very heavy rain days is climbing, so drainage, sealed connectors, underbody protection and a way to dry gear matter more here than any recovery kit. Then check your dimensions against the rules, because Louisiana publishes them. Wildlife management areas bar any vehicle with a wheel-tire combination radius of 17 inches or more, and the national forest caps trail vehicles at 50 inches wide.

Tell a builder which of the three systems you are aiming at. A rig for Kisatchie forest roads and dispersed corridors is a different specification from one for a Corps shoreline or a marsh highway, and in this state those are separate trips.

The full guide to overlanding Louisiana

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 Louisiana?

From Cameron at 4 feet to Driskill Mountain at 534. 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. Homer Claiborne Parish seat and the Caney Ranger District office. Caney and Corney lakes and the district’s designated vehicle camping corridors lie south and west. 289 ft
  2. Minden Webster Parish seat and the wildlife agency’s field office for Bodcau. The eastern approach to the Caney district and the northern end of the Bodcau country. 257 ft
  3. Leesville Vernon Parish seat beside the 85,000-acre Vernon Unit and the Fort Polk-Vernon wildlife management area. Fuel and tires before the Enduro trailhead road. 255 ft
  4. Haughton Bossier Parish town on the Bodcau Dam Road side of the reservoir, with the Corps of Engineers Bayou Bodcau project office. Nearest services to the primitive camping areas. 241 ft
  5. Shreveport The northwest hub where I-20 crosses I-49, with a Red River Waterway visitor center. The last large service town before Bodcau, Caney and the Arkansas line. 151 ft
  6. Winnfield Winn Parish seat and the Winn Ranger District office. The Saline Bayou National Wild and Scenic River and the Gum Springs horse camp are reached from here. 130 ft
  7. Natchitoches Parish seat on the Cane River and the northern approach to LA 117, the Longleaf Trail byway and the Sandstone trail. Cane River Creole National Historical Park sits south of town. 121 ft
  8. Pineville Across the Red River from Alexandria and home of the Kisatchie National Forest supervisor’s office on Shreveport Highway. The Catahoula Ranger District begins just north. 120 ft
  9. Saint Francisville West Feliciana Parish seat above the Mississippi on the Great River Road, and the town nearest the Tunica Hills, the steepest country in the southeast of the state. 116 ft
  10. Monroe On the Ouachita River at I-20, with the Corps of Engineers Louisiana Field Office on South Grand Street. Russell Sage wildlife management area sits east of town. 77 ft
  11. Alexandria Where I-49 meets US 165 and US 71 in the middle of the state. The last full-size service town for the Evangeline Unit, the Claiborne trails and the Catahoula district. 77 ft
  12. Lafayette The state wildlife agency’s Lafayette field office and the practical base for the Atchafalaya Basin, Sherburne and the northern end of the Bayou Teche byway. 37 ft
  13. New Iberia On Bayou Teche in the salt dome country, midway along the Bayou Teche Scenic Byway and the usual overnight stop on that drive. 17 ft
  14. Sulphur On I-10 at the top of Louisiana Highway 27, the road south to Sabine National Wildlife Refuge and the western leg of the Creole Nature Trail. 15 ft
  15. Lake Charles Southwest hub on I-10 where the Creole Nature Trail loop begins and ends. The last place with everything before the marsh parishes. 14 ft
  16. Cameron Parish seat on Louisiana Highway 82 at the Calcasieu Pass ferry, the crossing that closes the coastal loop. Services on this stretch are thin and far apart. 4 ft

Passes, high roads and summits

  1. Driskill Mountain Bienville Parish, the highest ground in Louisiana. This is our own reading of the USGS elevation surface at the summit point; the USGS published table gives 535 feet 534 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.

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Sources for this page

45
  1. Congressional Research Service. Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data (R42346), Tables 1 and 2. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  2. Recreation.gov. Recreation Information Database (RIDB) full export. 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 25, 2026.
  4. U.S. Geological Survey. Elevations and Distances in the United States, online edition, Highest and Lowest Elevations table. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  5. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. State Climate Summaries 2022: Louisiana. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  6. NOAA National Hurricane Center. Tropical Cyclone Climatology, with the Atlantic season dates and peak. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  7. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Kisatchie National Forest home page, with the five ranger districts and their acreages. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  8. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. About the Area, which states that Louisiana is the only state with parishes. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  9. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Frequently Asked Questions, covering forest size, designation year, the seven parishes and dispersed camping. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  10. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Camping and Cabins, with the dispersed camping corridor and the 30-day stay limit. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  11. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Wilderness, covering the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness and its fire history. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  12. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Recreation Opportunities, with the hiking, equestrian and off-highway vehicle trail mileages. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  13. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Scenic Drives, covering the Longleaf Trail Scenic Byway. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  14. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Longleaf Vista Recreation Area, with hours, fees, facilities and directions. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  15. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV), with the four multiple-use trails and the trailhead camps. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  16. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Off-Highway Vehicle Trail Status, with loop mileages, seasonal closures and the OHV rules and regulations. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  17. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Claiborne Multiple-Use Trails, with loop mileages, fees and directions. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  18. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Sandstone Multiple-Use Trail, with loop mileages, the seasonal closure and the vehicle restrictions. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  19. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Enduro Trail, with the state registration requirement, the fee and directions. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  20. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Passes, which states that the Interagency Annual Pass is not accepted and prices the forest trail and day-use passes. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  21. USDA Forest Service, Kisatchie National Forest. Visitor Maps and Guides, which states that Motor Vehicle Use Maps are reissued each year. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  22. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Corps Lakes Gateway, Louisiana project list. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  23. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District. Bayou Bodcau Dam and Reservoir project page, with acreage, fast facts, trails and the day use fee exception. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  24. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Corps Lakes Gateway project page for Bayou Bodcau, with the recreation area status table and directions. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  25. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Corps Lakes Gateway project page for Caddo Lake. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  26. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Corps Lakes Gateway project page for the Red River Waterway, with the lock and dam recreation areas. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  27. Office of the Federal Register, eCFR. 36 CFR 327.7, Camping. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  28. Office of the Federal Register, eCFR. 36 CFR 327.2, Vehicles. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  29. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Wildlife Management Areas, Refuges, and Conservation Areas, which states the 1.6 million acre figure. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  30. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. WMA/Refuge/Conservation Area Licenses and Permits, with the self-clearing, access and camping permits. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  31. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting Regulations, Wildlife Management Areas and Federal Lands chapters, with the vehicle definitions, the 17-inch wheel-tire limit, the camping limits and the Kisatchie and Bonnet Carre rules. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  32. Louisiana State Legislature. La. R.S. 32:299, Off-road vehicles; authorization for use on the shoulders of certain public roads and highways. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  33. Louisiana State Legislature. La. R.S. 32:299.3, Off-road vehicles; utility terrain vehicles. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  34. Louisiana Division of Administration, Office of the State Register. Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 25 (Cultural Resources), Part IX, Office of State Parks, sections 305, 331, 500, 501, 503 and 504. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  35. Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Fire Conditions and Burn Bans. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  36. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Ferries, with the three state crossings, the fares and the vessel capacities. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  37. Federal Highway Administration. America’s Byways, Louisiana. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  38. Federal Highway Administration. Creole Nature Trail, America’s Byways. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  39. Federal Highway Administration. Bayou Teche Scenic Byway, America’s Byways. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  40. Federal Highway Administration. Boom or Bust Byway, America’s Byways. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  41. Federal Highway Administration. Great River Road, America’s Byways. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  42. National Park Service. Louisiana, National Park Service state index and By The Numbers. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  43. National Park Service. Barataria Preserve, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  44. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  45. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge. Retrieved September 25, 2026.

Reviewed September 25, 2026. Conditions, closures and rules change; check with the managing agency before you travel.

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