Level I-II (Reentry Hub) · State Prison · CDCR

Ironwood State Prison

Blythe, Riverside County, California

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (760) 921-3000 Info last verified: June 2026

Riverside County CDCR prison near Blythe on the Arizona border, a Level I-II reentry-focused institution with appointment-based visiting.

Statewide rules that apply at every CDCR institution

These rules are set by CDCR and apply at every unit. The full list — including all permitted and prohibited items and the approval process — is in Visiting in California.

Dress code

Avoid blue denim, orange, bright yellow, khaki, tan, beige, forest or olive green, and camouflage — these match what incarcerated people or staff wear.
No tank tops, tube tops, spaghetti straps, sheer fabric, or low-cut necklines; shoulders should stay mostly covered.
Skirts and shorts must be within two inches of the knee. Leggings on their own usually do not pass.
Closed-toe shoes only — no sandals, flip-flops, or backless shoes.
Underwire bras set off the metal detector; a wireless or sports bra avoids the issue.

ID: A current government-issued photo ID matching the name on the approved application is required.
What to bring: No cell phones, wallets, other electronics, food, or drinks inside. A small clear bag may hold a car key and vending money in coins and $1 bills, up to the limit the institution posts on its visiting page.
Scheduling: Visitors must be approved on CDCR Form 106 before a first visit, then schedule through the VSA online system. Walk-ins are generally not allowed.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in California

Overview

Ironwood State Prison opened in 1994 outside Blythe, in the far-eastern desert of Riverside County near the Arizona line. CDCR describes it as a male institution with four Level II (low-medium) programming facilities and one Level I minimum-support facility, designated a Reentry Hub that concentrates work, education, and college and vocational programming for people who are within about four years of release.

Like most California prisons, Ironwood runs above its design capacity — about 3,300 men against roughly 2,200 designed beds (2026). Population figures change; CDCR’s population reports are the current source.

What Makes Ironwood State Prison Different

It is a Reentry Hub, focused on people close to release, with college and vocational programs.
It shares its remote state-land site with the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison, which CDCR deactivated in late 2024; only Ironwood remains in operation there.
It is one of the most remote prisons in the system — on the I-10 corridor near the Arizona border, with the nearest large metropolitan area being Phoenix, Arizona.
It is a lower-security (Level I-II) institution, so visiting is generally contact.

Visiting Hours and Procedures

Ironwood visits are arranged in advance, not by drop-in.

General statewide rules, dress code, and the approval process are covered in Visiting in California.

Getting There and Parking

Ironwood is south of Interstate 10 outside Blythe, near the California-Arizona border.

There is no public transit to the prison; a private vehicle is the practical way to reach it. Palo Verde Hospital in Blythe is the area’s only hospital, with a 24-hour emergency room; as of early 2026 it faced funding difficulties, so confirm it is operating before relying on it.

Nearby Services

Blythe, on the Colorado River, has the nearest gas, food, and lodging along the I-10 corridor; options are limited compared with larger California prison markets, so many visitors plan their last full-service stop in Blythe or, coming from the east, in the Phoenix area.

For broader family support beyond the institution itself, Friends Outside is a California nonprofit, operating since 1955, that assists families of incarcerated people and operates visitor centers at state prisons.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone at a California state prison:

Visiting in California — CDCR approval process, dress code, scheduling
Mail & Packages — What you can send and what gets rejected
Phone & Video Calls — Call costs, tablets, and video visits
Sending Money — How to add funds to a CDCR trust account
Medical & Mental Health — Healthcare in CDCR facilities
Transfers — What happens during transfers

Sources

This page is compiled from the following publicly available sources. Policies change without notice — confirm current details with the facility before relying on them.