Level III — medium (men) · Correctional Facility · CDOC

Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility

Cañon City, Fremont County, Colorado

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (719) 269-4226 Info last verified: June 2026

Colorado's oldest prison, in Cañon City — a Level III medium-security men's facility that runs the state license-plate plant and a statewide infirmary unit.

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

Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility, at 275 West U.S. 50 inside Cañon City, is the oldest prison in Colorado — it opened in 1871 as the territorial prison and became a state prison in 1876. It is a Level III medium-security men’s facility of about 900 men (CDOC’s early-2026 report). It runs Colorado Correctional Industries programs, including the Tag/Tab plant that produces license plates for Colorado and other states, and a canine-training program. It also operates a statewide infirmary unit that provides 24-hour acute medical and mental-health care to inmates transferred in from prisons across the state.

What Makes Colorado Territorial Different

It is the oldest prison in Colorado, opened in 1871.
It runs the state license-plate (Tag/Tab) plant and a canine-training program through Colorado Correctional Industries.
It operates a statewide infirmary unit for inmates with acute medical and mental-health needs.
Its street address is inside Cañon City (275 West U.S. 50), separate from the East Cañon Complex prisons east of town.

Visiting

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

The full approval process is in Visiting in Colorado.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is at 275 West U.S. 50, inside Cañon City.

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

Nearby Services

Cañon City has the nearest gas, food, and lodging. The nearest 24-hour emergency room is St. Thomas More Hospital in Cañon City.

Mail

Personal mail goes to the facility, addressed with the person’s commitment name and DOC number. Legal mail is opened only to inspect for contraband, in the person’s presence. Some CDOC facilities photocopy incoming personal mail and destroy the original; the current list is in Mail & Packages.

A Note on History

Colorado Territorial opened in 1871 and was long known as the Colorado State Prison. Historically it held the state’s death row and execution chamber; those functions moved to Colorado State Penitentiary when it opened in 1993. Colorado abolished the death penalty in 2020, so the state no longer has a death row or carries out executions. This is historical reference only.

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.