More than 100 inches on parts of the Coast Range, less than 10 inches in some of the eastern desert
Acres in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area 32
31,500
40 miles of coast between Florence and Coos Bay, set aside by Congress in 1972
Building a van for Oregon
Two things shape a van build here. The first is water, in the air and on the road: the Coast Range takes over 100 inches of rain a year, and a coastal or Cascade van needs ventilation, drainage and rust protection that a desert van does not.
The second is distance. Once you cross the Cascades the gaps get long. ODOT cites stretches of more than 80 miles without fuel, particularly between Joseph and Halfway, and tells drivers on Elkhorn Drive to fill up at Granite because nothing is open until Baker City. Ask your builder about tank size, water capacity and where a second spare will live.
A conversion is a small house on a moving, flexing, weight-limited platform. The builder insulates and lines the shell, installs the electrical system, plumbing, heat and ventilation, builds the bed, galley and storage, and cuts the holes for windows, fans and vents that you do not want to get wrong.
Some shops build complete vans to a set floor plan. Others build to order, and a few will take on partial work such as electrical only.
A typical conversion includes
01Insulation, wall and ceiling panels, and flooring
02House battery, alternator charging, solar, inverter and shore power
03Roof fan, heater, and sometimes air conditioning
04Fresh and gray water, a sink, and sometimes a shower and water heater
05Bed, galley, seating and storage
06Windows, racks, ladders, awnings and exterior lighting
How to choose a van builder
Floor plans are easy to fall for. The questions underneath them matter more.
01Decide between a shop's standard layout and a custom build. Standard layouts are faster, and the shop has already solved their problems.
02Ask what the finished van weighs with water and gear. Sprinters are sold in several gross weight ratings, and a heavy build on the lightest chassis leaves little margin.
03Ask how the electrical system is protected and documented, and whether the components can be serviced on the road.
04Ask how cabinetry is fastened to the van. Furniture that is only screwed to thin wall panels works loose on rough roads.
05Ask how added seats and seat belts are engineered and anchored if anyone rides behind the front row.
06Get the scope, price, payment schedule and delivery date in writing.
What to have ready before you ask for a quote
The van you order decides what can be built in it, so it helps to talk to a builder before you buy.
01Model year, 144 or 170 wheelbase, roof height, and two-wheel, all-wheel or four-wheel drive
02How many people sleep in it and how many ride in it
03The seasons and climates you travel in
04Whether you need to work from it
05What goes inside with you: bikes, boards, dogs
06A budget range and the date you want to be traveling
Questions people ask
Do I need to own the van before I contact a builder?
No. Many builders would rather talk first, because the wheelbase, roof height and drivetrain you order decide what can be built. Some shops can also source a van.
How long does a Sprinter conversion take?
A full custom build is usually measured in months, plus whatever wait the shop has before it can start. Standard layouts are quicker. Ask for both numbers.
Should I get the 144 or the 170 wheelbase?
The 144 is easier to park, turn and drive on tight roads. The 170 gives you room for a fixed bed and a real galley without compromise. Think about where you will actually drive it, then about how you want to live in it.
Can these builders work on a Ford Transit or Ram ProMaster?
Many do. If you are on another platform, say so in the form and we will look for shops with that experience.
How high is Oregon?
From Florence at 46 feet to Mount Hood at 11,239.
Altitude decides what your engine, your brakes and your lungs have to work with, and how late in the year the passes open.
02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,000
Feet above sea level
Towns
LakeviewWhere US 395 meets Highway 140. The Lakeview to Steens byway starts six miles north, and the Outback Scenic Byway runs south to the California line.4,796 ft
Jordan ValleyThe last town on US 95 before Idaho and the western end of the Owyhee Uplands. The Soldier Creek Loop Road to Three Forks leaves US 95 about 16 miles west.4,387 ft
Christmas ValleyIn the middle of the Christmas Valley Back Country Byway, with the dunes and the Lost Forest to the east.4,321 ft
FieldsThe nearest town to the Alvord Desert, about an hour south of the playa. The BLM says to call ahead about hours before relying on fuel here.4,239 ft
FrenchglenThe last settlement on Highway 205 before the Steens Mountain Loop Road, 60 miles south of Burns. One of four places the BLM says to ask about fuel.4,197 ft
JosephAt the foot of the Wallowa Mountains on Highway 82. The road to Imnaha and the Hat Point Road climb starts here.4,180 ft
BurnsWhere US 20 meets US 395 in Harney County. The BLM Burns District office is at Hines, just west, and Highway 205 runs south toward the Steens.4,154 ft
Klamath FallsOn US 97 south of Crater Lake, at the eastern edge of the Fremont-Winema National Forest.4,107 ft
BendThe largest city in central Oregon, on US 97. The Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway leaves from here and the Deschutes National Forest supervisor’s office is in town.3,625 ft
Baker CityOn I-84 at the south corner of the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway and the start and finish of Elkhorn Drive. The BLM Baker Field Office is in town.3,446 ft
SistersOn US 20 at the east end of the McKenzie Pass Highway, which ODOT gates shut from November to mid-June.3,186 ft
John DayOn US 26 between the Malheur and Ochoco forests. The Malheur National Forest supervisor’s office is here; the South Fork John Day byway starts at Dayville to the west.3,089 ft
PrinevilleOn US 26. BLM’s Prineville District and the Ochoco National Forest are both headquartered here, and the Lower Crooked River byway runs south to Highway 20.2,880 ft
ValeBLM Vale District headquarters, where US 20 and US 26 come together in the Malheur County lowlands.2,244 ft
Hood RiverOn I-84 in the Columbia River Gorge, at the north side of the Mount Hood National Forest.422 ft
FlorenceOn US 101 at the north end of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, where the Siuslaw River meets the ocean.46 ft
Passes, high roads and summits
Mount HoodThe highest point in Oregon. No road to the top11,239 ft
Steens MountainA half-mile walk from the end of the Wildhorse Lake Overlook road9,733 ft
Steens Mountain Back Country BywayA loop from Highway 205 at Frenchglen, over the mountain and back at the Black Canyon gate9,500 ft
Strawberry MountainThe high point of the Malheur National Forest, above John Day9,038 ft
Vinegar HillThe high point of the Umatilla National Forest, in the Blue Mountains8,100 ft
Elkhorn Mountain SummitElkhorn Drive Scenic Byway: A loop from Baker City by Sumpter, Granite and Anthony Lakes7,392 ft
McKenzie PassMcKenzie Pass Highway, Oregon 242: Oregon 126 near McKenzie Bridge to US 20 at Sisters5,325 ft
Picture Rock PassOn the Outback Scenic Byway between Silver Lake and Summer Lake4,830 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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