Level III — medium (men); privately operated by CoreCivic · Private Correctional Facility (CoreCivic) · CDOC

Bent County Correctional Facility

Las Animas, Bent County, Colorado

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (719) 456-2610 Info last verified: June 2026

A privately operated (CoreCivic) medium-security prison in Las Animas that holds Colorado state-sentenced men — the state's first private prison.

Statewide rules that apply at every Colorado state prison

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

Dress code

No clothing that is solid green, gray, orange, white, yellow, or camouflage, or that otherwise resembles what incarcerated people wear — Colorado prison uniforms are green.
Pants, skirts, and dresses must reach at least the top of the knee; no shorts of any kind and no cargo pants, and nothing tight or form-fitting such as leggings, spandex, or yoga pants.
Nothing sheer, ripped, or revealing — no exposed cleavage, back, or midriff when standing, sitting, or bending, and no spaghetti- or thin-strap tops; appropriate undergarments are required and must not be visible.
No hats, hoods, gloves, scarves, or coats in the visiting room (religious head coverings excepted), nothing showing gang, drug, profane, or offensive images, and jewelry limited to a wedding set, one religious medallion, and medical-alert items.

ID: Every visitor 18 or older shows a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID — the physical card, not a photocopy or digital ID — and must already be on the incarcerated person's approved list, which is capped at 12 adults (minors do not count).
What to bring: Almost nothing comes into the visit room. The only item allowed for purchases is one debit or credit card for the vending machines — no cash or coins — and phones, watches, and other electronics are prohibited; prescription medication must be in its original labeled container.
Scheduling: Each visitor applies to the facility where the person is held, and visits are generally by appointment, with days and hours set by that prison — there is no single statewide schedule, so confirm the facility's process and book ahead before traveling.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Colorado

Overview

Bent County Correctional Facility, near Las Animas in the Arkansas River valley, is a medium-security (Level III) prison operated by CoreCivic under contract with the Colorado Department of Corrections. The people held here are Colorado state-sentenced men, so the statewide CDOC rules apply. It opened in 1993 as Colorado’s first private correctional facility (built by Bent County; CoreCivic acquired it in 1996), and offers education, vocational, mental-health, substance-abuse, and reentry programs.

What Makes Bent County Different

It is privately operated by CoreCivic, though it holds Colorado state inmates under the statewide CDOC rules.
It was Colorado’s first private prison, opened in 1993.
Visits are scheduled through the facility (by email to CoreCivic), not a CDOC facility visiting line.
It is in the Arkansas River valley, about 85 miles east of Pueblo.

Visiting

The statewide CDOC rules above — the approved list, the dress code, ID, and search rules — apply at Bent County. The facility’s own arrangements:

The full approval process is in Visiting in Colorado.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Road FF.75 near Las Animas, in southeast Colorado.

Distances are approximate, based on map routing. Visitor parking is on site.

Nearby Services

Las Animas has basic gas and food; La Junta (about 19 miles west) has fuller services. The nearest 24-hour emergency room is Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center in La Junta.

Mail

Personal mail goes to the facility, addressed with the person’s commitment name and DOC number. Bent County is one of the CDOC facilities that photocopies incoming personal mail, delivers the copy, and destroys the original — so do not send originals you want returned. Legal mail is opened only to inspect for contraband, in the person’s presence. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone in a Colorado state prison:

Visiting in Colorado — the approved list, the dress code, and ID rules
Mail & Packages — the DOC number, photocopying, and publisher-only books
Phone & Video Calls — free calls, Securus, and tablets
Sending Money — CorrectPay deposits
Medical & Mental Health — the co-pay, HIPAA releases, and Constituent Services
Transfers & Finding Someone — reception, the locator, and VINE

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.