Medium and minimum (men) · State Prison · Maine DOC

Mountain View Correctional Facility

Charleston, Penobscot County, Maine

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (207) 285-0880 Info last verified: June 2026

A medium- and minimum-security men's facility in Charleston, northeast of Bangor — created in 2017 from a former youth center, with a young-adult program, a logging program, and a unit for long-term medical care.

Statewide rules that apply at every Maine DOC facility

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

Dress code

Undergarments required and not visible. Nothing see-through, low-cut, tight, or revealing — no tank, halter, tube, sleeveless, or crop tops, bare midriffs, or exposed cleavage.
Skirts, dresses, and shorts must reach the knee, with no slit more than two inches above it.
No hats, headbands, hoods, or hooded sweatshirts, and no outdoor jackets in the visiting room. The Windham facilities also bar zippered shirts.
No leggings, spandex, yoga pants, or gym shorts, and nothing resembling resident or staff clothing; closed-toe shoes required. Each facility posts its own list, so check before traveling.

ID: Adults present a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license. A visitor under 18 brings a government photo ID or a certified copy of their birth certificate.
What to bring: Nothing goes into the visiting room — wallets, phones, and bags stay in a locker or the vehicle. Medication stays in the car except emergency items (nitroglycerin, an inhaler, an epi-pen). The Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center is an exception, allowing some outside food.
Scheduling: Each visitor applies and clears a background check (run by the State Bureau of Identification; allow up to six weeks), and the resident is told when someone is approved. Visits are by appointment only — request at least two business days ahead — with up to three visitors at a time and no walk-ins.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Maine

Overview

Mountain View Correctional Facility holds men in medium and minimum custody in Charleston, northeast of Bangor. It was created in 2017, when the Legislature repurposed the former Mountain View Youth Development Center as an adult facility. Alongside general programming — education, vocational training, and substance-use and mental-health treatment — it runs a young-adult program for residents 25 and under with five years or less to serve, a logging program, and a community work-release program for minimum-custody residents. A unit on the grounds provides long-term and end-of-life medical care for residents from across the system.

What Makes Mountain View Different

A young-adult track. The facility runs a dedicated program for younger residents nearing release.
Vocational programs. These include a logging program, and residents have taken part in building shelters for homeless veterans.
A children’s playroom. Mountain View offers a playroom for children under 12 in 45-minute blocks, which must be requested when scheduling a visit.

Visiting

The statewide Maine DOC rules above — the application and background check, the dress code, ID, and search rules — apply at Mountain View. The facility’s own schedule:

The full approval process is in Visiting in Maine.

Getting There and Parking

The facility is on Dover Road in Charleston, reached from the Bangor area.

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

Nearby Services

Charleston is rural; the nearest full range of gas, food, and lodging is in the Bangor area, about 30 minutes south, with limited services in nearby Dover-Foxcroft. Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor runs a 24/7 emergency room and is the region’s trauma center.

Mail

Mountain View uses Maine’s split mail routing. First-class letters go to 809 Cushing Road, Warren, ME 04864 (the central scanning address), while packages, magazines, and legal mail go to the campus at 1182 Dover Road, Charleston, ME 04422. Put the resident’s name and MDOC number on everything — full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone in a Maine state facility:

Visiting in Maine — the application, dress code, and search rules
Mail & Packages — the Warren letter address and what can be sent
Phone & Video Calls — the phone system, free options, and tablets
Sending Money — the two accounts and the deposit portal
Medical & Mental Health — health care, co-pays, and raising a concern
Transfers & Finding Someone — intake, county jails, and the resident search

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.