The Overland Directory · Appalachia
Overland businesses in Tennessee
Builders, mechanics, 4x4 shops, outfitters, campgrounds and guides in Tennessee, and a free way to get build quotes while the list grows.
Rich Mountain Road, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
In Tennessee
33 listings
- American 4WD & Outfitters Chattanooga, TN Four wheel drive shop fitting lift kits, wheels and tires, bumpers, rock sliders and winches, with axle swaps, exhaust fabrication, custom suspension and hydraulic steering work.
- OverVanding Solutions Chattanooga, TN Custom van conversion and overlanding shop building full camper interiors, selling pre designed build kits for do it yourself projects and upgrading RV lithium and solar systems.
- Site Seven Campers Chattanooga, TN Camper van and truck camper builder working since 2017, designing and fabricating its own components in house for Mercedes Sprinter vans and pickup based campers.
- Southeast Diesel Inc Chattanooga, TN Diesel repair shop covering engine diagnostics, turbocharger and fuel system work, engine rebuilds, cooling, exhaust, transmission and hydraulic service on light to heavy duty trucks.
- Tom's 4x4 Superstore Chattanooga, TN Off road shop working on Jeeps, trucks and Broncos, fitting lift kits, wheels and tires, doing V8 conversions, steering rebuilds, custom fabrication, maintenance and repairs.
- Rough Country Dyersburg, TN Manufacturer and online retailer of suspension lift and leveling kits, shocks, steps, bumpers, winches, lighting and UTV and ATV parts, sold direct and through installers.
- Turtleback Trailers Gallatin, TN Builds off road adventure and overland trailers in Expedition and Getaway models, with shell versions, roof tent and solar ready fittings, hot water and storage, sold direct and through dealers.
- Off-Road Gatlinburg Gatlinburg, TN Runs guided side by side UTV and quad ATV tours on private mountain trails near Gatlinburg, with creek crossings and climbs, and rents street legal side by sides.
- Music City 4x4 Hendersonville, TN Off road and truck shop fitting lift and leveling kits, suspension, wheels and tires, differential work and alignments, and outfitting rigs with roof tents, racks, storage and lighting.
- Oliver Travel Trailers Hohenwald, TN Builds double hull fiberglass travel trailers in three models at its Hohenwald factory, with lithium battery and solar packages for off grid and four season camping.
- Brimstone Resort Huntsville, TN Cabin, RV and campground lodging in East Tennessee with direct access to the Brimstone trail system, and a vendor for Brimstone riding permits.
- Hub City Tire Co. Jackson, TN Tire dealer and repair shop in west Tennessee selling car, truck, SUV and commercial tires and doing alignments, suspension work, lift kit installation, brakes and driveline repairs.
- Fitzgerald Performance Jamestown, TN Diesel performance shop on the Cumberland Plateau building Ram diesel trucks and selling engine, drivetrain, suspension, interior and lighting parts, and hosting the FP Truck Fest.
- Mahoney's Outfitters Johnson City, TN Family owned Tri-Cities outdoor store trading since 1960, selling camping and hiking supplies, paddle sports equipment, hunting and field gear, cutlery and outdoor clothing.
- Outlaw Offroad Knoxville Knoxville, TN Off road center for Jeeps, trucks and SUVs fitting lift and leveling kits, wheels, tires and accessories, and doing engine, axle and Hemi swap work.
- Powerhouse Diesel Knoxville, TN Diesel truck shop with an in house engine building and machine shop, selling and fitting fuel systems, turbochargers, exhausts, suspension, driveline and transmission parts, with custom tuning.
- Unlimited RV Knoxville, TN Service center for motorhomes, travel trailers and camper vans, doing mechanical and electrical diagnostics, solar installation, parts sales and warranty work.
- Walden Woods, LLC La Follette, TN Five private cabins with trailer parking near the North Cumberland trailhead, which guests can reach by road without reloading their vehicles onto a trailer.
- Little River Trading Co. Maryville, TN Outdoor shop near the Great Smoky Mountains selling camping and hiking equipment, backpacks, climbing gear, footwear, travel accessories and outdoor clothing.
- Lunes Off-Road Millington, TN Off road shop north of Memphis doing suspension lifts, regearing, axle and differential work, custom fabrication and armor, and fitting winches, recovery points and onboard air.
- Elevated Off Road Murfreesboro, TN Middle Tennessee 4x4 shop fitting suspension, wheels, tires and interior and exterior accessories on Jeeps and trucks, with repairs and routine maintenance.
- MudRock4x4 Murfreesboro, TN Jeep and truck customization shop fitting lift kits and suspension, LED lighting and wiring, bumpers and armor, air suspension, tonneau covers and overland and recovery equipment.
- Cumberland Transit Nashville, TN Outdoor and bicycle shop on West End Avenue selling camping equipment, climbing and fly fishing gear, outdoor clothing and bikes.
- Nashville Jeep Club Nashville, TN Free to join Jeep and off road community in Nashville that organizes trail runs, cruise nights, charity events and meetups for drivers of all skill levels.
- Nashville Off Road Club Nashville, TN Off road club in the Nashville area running trail rides, community gatherings and charity fundraisers, with events at sites around Middle and East Tennessee.
- Outlaw Offroad - Nashville Nashville, TN Off road center for Jeeps, trucks and SUVs fitting lift and leveling kits, wheels, tires and accessories, with maintenance, repair, engine and axle work and Hemi swaps.
- Woodland Van Co. Nashville, TN Camper van conversion company building on RAM ProMaster and Mercedes chassis, and fitting electrical, solar, heating and water systems or repairing them on existing vans.
- Windrock Park Oliver Springs, TN Off road park on Windrock Mountain with a campground of cabins, yurts, RV sites and tent sites, further cabins near the trailhead, bathhouses and side by side rentals.
- Smoky Mountain Invasion Pigeon Forge, TN Annual three day Jeep and off road expo held at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, with a vendor marketplace, on site parts installation and a show and shine competition.
- Smoky Mountains Jeep Tours Pigeon Forge, TN Runs guided Jeep tours in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including the Foothills Parkway, Newfound Gap, Cades Cove and the Roaring Fork area.
- Ride Royal Blue ATV Resort Pioneer, TN Resort in the Cumberland Mountains with cabins, RV and tent sites and a camp store, giving ride in and ride out access to the North Cumberland WMA trail system.
- Adventure Off Road Park South Pittsburg, TN Off road park and nature center in south central Tennessee with more than 600 acres and 120 trails, cabins, primitive camping and RV hookups, a dirt track and year round events.
- Fisher's Off-Road Tours, LLC Williamsport, TN Family run guide service south of Nashville running two to eight hour guided side by side trips on middle Tennessee backcountry dirt roads, with water crossings, a cave and a waterfall.
Why Tennessee’s best backroads are one way, gated and seasonal
Tennessee is not a public-land state in the western sense. Federal agencies hold 1,269,357 acres here, 4.7 percent of the state, and the Bureau of Land Management holds none of it. What the state does have is concentrated: the Forest Service with 725,299 acres, the National Park Service with 360,616, the Department of Defense with 128,480 and the Fish and Wildlife Service with 54,962, nearly all of it stacked along the eastern mountains and the Cumberland Plateau. The ground rises from 178 feet on the Mississippi River in Shelby County to 6,643 feet at Kuwohi, which the U.S. Geological Survey still lists under its former name, Clingmans Dome.
- Kuwohi, the highest point in Tennessee 2
- 6,643 ft
- Sevier County. The USGS table still prints the former name, Clingmans Dome. The low point is 178 feet on the Mississippi River
- Federal campgrounds a vehicle can reach 4
- 64
- 30 Forest Service, 18 Corps of Engineers across seven lakes, and 16 Park Service. Fifteen are first come, first served
- Visitors a year to Great Smoky Mountains 10
- 12M
- The most visited national park in the country, and entry to it is free
- Acres of Cherokee National Forest 13
- 660,000+
- Split into a northern and a southern half by the national park. The CRS puts all Forest Service land in Tennessee at 725,299 acres
- Acres in the North Cumberland WMA 30
- 205,000
- The largest actively managed wildlife management area in the state, across five East Tennessee counties
- Average yearly precipitation, statewide 5
- 52.2 in
- The 1895 to 2020 average. Inside the Smokies it runs 55 inches in the lowlands to 85 at Kuwohi
- Nationally designated byway routes 28
- 10
- More than any other state east of the Mississippi, and fourth most in the country
Sources for this page
34
- Congressional Research Service. Federal Land Ownership: Overview and Data (R42346), Tables 1 and 2, data as of September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
- U.S. Geological Survey. Elevations and Distances in the United States, online edition, Highest and Lowest Elevations table. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- 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.
- Recreation.gov. Recreation Information Database (RIDB) full export. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. State Climate Summaries 2022: Tennessee. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Auto Touring. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Seasonal Road Schedule. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Weather. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Fees and Passes, with the Frontcountry Camping and Backcountry Camping pages. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Frequently Asked Questions, with the Traffic and Travel Tips page. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Touring Cades Cove. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, which also lists the Foothills Parkway section lengths. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest. Cherokee National Forest home, with the Explore the Forest and Camping and Cabins pages. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest. Campsite Limitations, and the Cherohala Skyway camping alert. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest. Holly Flats campground, which states the forest-wide food storage restriction. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest. Cherohala Skyway. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest. Ocoee Scenic Byway. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest. Unaka Mountain Scenic Drive. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest. Tellico River Road, with the Holly Flats campground page. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest. Hiwassee River Road. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest. Carver’s Gap, and the TN 143 Scenic Drive page. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest. National Forest Seasonal Road Management Schedule for the North Zone of the Cherokee National Forest. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- National Park Service, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Superintendent’s Compendium, signed June 4, 2026, with the park’s Camping page. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- National Park Service, Natchez Trace Parkway. Frequently Asked Questions, with the Recreational Vehicles page. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- National Park Service, Natchez Trace Parkway. Camping Along the Natchez Trace Parkway. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- Tennessee Valley Authority. Rules for Use of TVA Public Lands. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- Tennessee Valley Authority. Recreation, with the Camping and Recreation on Undeveloped TVA Public Lands pages. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- Tennessee Department of Transportation. National Scenic Byways Overview, revised October 2024. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- Tennessee Department of Transportation. Tennessee’s Scenic Handbook, July 2021, the Tennessee’s Byway Collection chapter. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. North Cumberland WMA. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Licenses and Permits: High-Impact Habitat Conservation Permits, and the North Cumberland Off-Highway Vehicle Permit. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. General Wildlife Management Area Regulations. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- Tennessee Department of Revenue. Off-Highway Vehicles, under Vehicle Registration. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
- Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry. Get a Burn Permit in Tennessee. Retrieved September 19, 2026.
Reviewed September 19, 2026. Conditions, closures and rules change; check with the managing agency before you travel.
What you need in Tennessee
- Overland builders 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. Free quotes
- Sprinter van builders Upfitters and conversion shops that turn an empty Mercedes-Benz Sprinter into a van you can live and travel in. Free quotes
- Fabricators Metal shops that design, cut and weld the parts you cannot buy off a shelf: bumpers, sliders, racks, skid plates, mounts and repairs. Free quotes
- Suspension Shops that set up springs, shocks and geometry for the weight you actually carry and the roads you actually drive. Free quotes
- Tires Tire and wheel shops that understand load ratings, airing down and what a loaded overland vehicle asks of its tires. Free quotes
- Overland mechanics Independent mechanics who know what dirt, weight and distance do to a vehicle, and who will look it over like someone about to drive it a long way from help. Free quotes
- Diesel specialists Shops that live in diesel, from Sprinter vans to heavy-duty pickups, with the diagnostic tools and the patience these engines require. Free quotes
- 4x4 shops The all-round off-road shop: lockers, gears, armor, winches, lights and the knowledge of how they work together on your platform. Free quotes
- RV and van service Service for the house as well as the vehicle: electrical systems, heaters, plumbing, appliances, roofs and seals. Free quotes
- Overland outfitters Stores where you can see the gear before you buy it, and talk to someone who has used it. Free quotes
- Recovery equipment Winches, traction boards, ropes, shackles and the mounting points that make them safe to use. Free quotes
- Roof tents Dealers and installers for rooftop tents and awnings, and the racks that have to carry them. Free quotes
- Camping equipment Fridges, stoves, water, furniture, sleep systems and lighting for camps that start at the tailgate. Free quotes
- Expedition vehicle dealers Dealers and brokers for finished vehicles: expedition trucks, truck campers, adventure vans and the used rigs that come up when someone's trip ends. Free quotes
- Campgrounds Established campgrounds that welcome vehicle-based travelers, from public campgrounds on the way to somewhere to private camps worth a stay of their own.
- Adventure lodging Lodges, cabins, motels and ranches near the dirt, for the night you want a shower, a bed and someone else's cooking.
- Guides Guided trips and local guides for the places where knowing the ground matters: remote deserts, high passes, long river corridors and borders.
- Training Driver training, recovery courses, field repair and wilderness first aid, taught by people who do it for a living.
Planning a trip to Tennessee?
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