Rest Area — Local services in Crab Orchard

I pulled in just at twilight and it wasn't too busy. I was very impressed with how well lit up the area was.

There are at least two ramada's handicapped accessible, and they each have a concrete pathway to the picnic tables. Maneuvering a chair around one of the tables could be a bit tight if you have multiple chairs to accommodate. That table under the Ramada is very easily accessible.

One thing I have not seen at other rest stops is 24 staffing. I spoke with Kelly and she told me there is always an employee on the premises. Perhaps I've just never seen staff at night in other stops.

As with a lot of trees along the Interstate, there was at least one tree that was blown down in the last big windstorm. Please be careful if you stay here during a storm. The storm happened the night before I arrived, on a weekend, so they haven't had time to remove it. I don't know what the building is it's landed on, but it's not open to the public.

I liked the teardrop shaped road construction. It brings you in and away from the traffic noise. That made for a quiet night.

The vending machines are very reasonably priced. A bottle of soda was $1.75. Even Walmart doesn't sell them...

I stop here every weekend, I sleep in my truck and rest while waiting for the mother of my children to say I can come over for a little bit. I work out of town and don't spend extra money on hotels that can go to my kids.. while sitting in my truck watching videos to pass time until I could see my daughter the lady at the rest area actually came and knocked on my window and asked what I was doing cause she noticed I had been parked for a while, are you serious? First off it's a public rest area that I pay taxes for and Second I had only been there for about 12 hours which I spent most of those sleeping in my truck. This rest area allows me to stay close as possible to my daughter and get there soon as momma says I can come. You think I like sleeping in my truck at a rest area? No I just want as much time as I can get with my daughter so I stay close.. but now because of this lady I will figure something else out... she came up knocking on my window like a zealous cop or something.. ridiculous for real and exactly what is wrong with our society today.. I'm sad for the world my daughter will have to grow up in because of people like this woman.. when are you KARENS...

This place Bites for Semi-trucks......2hr parking. Serious, It does not say that anywhere on the map pages We have never been this way before and literally had 10 minutes left on our clock. What would you have us do? Drive illegal Emergencies, Breakdowns, and drivers have to sleep too That place is big enough to redo that parking lot to make more space for everyone. The ruts are so deep the whole parking lot needs to be redone anyway, because this place is so old Nobody uses most of those picnic tables it would be really easy to resign this place. Please Tennessee take pride in...