Level I — minimum (men) · Correctional Center · CDOC

Rifle Correctional Center

Rifle, Garfield County, Colorado

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (970) 625-7578 Info last verified: June 2026

A small Level I minimum-security men's center on the Western Slope near Rifle, doing community-based labor and reintegration work.

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

Rifle Correctional Center is a small Level I minimum-security men’s facility on a 75-acre site near Rifle in Garfield County, on Colorado’s Western Slope. It opened in the 1960s as a satellite labor camp and now does community-based labor along with vocational and reintegration programming.

What Makes Rifle Different

It is a small Level I minimum-security facility, doing community-based labor.
It began in the 1960s as a satellite labor camp.
It is on the Western Slope, near Rifle off Interstate 70.
Original incoming personal mail is delivered here (the facility is not on CDOC’s photocopy list).

Visiting

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

The full approval process is in Visiting in Colorado.

Getting There and Parking

The center is on County Road 219 near Rifle, on the Western Slope.

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

Nearby Services

The town of Rifle, just off I-70, has gas, food, and lodging. The nearest 24-hour emergency room is Grand River Health in Rifle.

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. Rifle is not on CDOC’s mail-photocopy list, so original incoming personal mail is delivered; the current statewide rules are in Mail & Packages.

A Note on History

In August 2025, Rifle Correctional Center was evacuated as the Lee Fire spread toward Garfield County; its residents were temporarily moved to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex, and the facility later resumed normal operations. 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.