Levels I, II, and IV (women); women's reception center · State Prison · Michigan DOC

Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility

Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, Michigan

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (734) 572-9900 Info last verified: June 2026

Michigan's only women's prison, in Ypsilanti near Ann Arbor — and the women's reception center, so every woman entering the state system is held here, at every custody level.

Statewide rules that apply at every Michigan state prison

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

Dress code

Visitors must be fully dressed in clean clothing in good repair, with required undergarments — including a bra for anyone with breast tissue — and footwear at all times.
Nothing that exposes a lot of skin: no see-through clothing, no tube or halter tops, and skirts, dresses, and shorts no more than three inches above the knee — and no shorts of any kind.
No extreme form-fitting outer clothing such as yoga pants, tights, jeggings, or unitards, and nothing that exposes undergarments.
No hooded garments, coats, jackets, gloves, or sunglasses in the visiting room (blazers, suit coats, and sweaters are allowed); jewelry is limited to about ten pieces, and religious head coverings are allowed but may be searched.

ID: Every visitor must already be on the prisoner's approved list (each visitor files a CAJ-103 application), and adults present a government photo ID at every visit; a minor without photo ID brings a birth certificate or court order.
What to bring: Almost nothing comes into the visit room — the only items allowed are a locker key, the visitor pass, a photo ID, and a prepaid MDOC vending card (up to $30 per person; no cash). Phones and electronics are prohibited, and lockers are provided in the lobby.
Scheduling: Visits are by appointment only — no walk-ins — booked through the ViaPath system between 48 hours and 7 days ahead. Days, hours, and the number of visits allowed each month are set by each facility and the prisoner's security level, and there are no personal visits during the first months after intake.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Michigan

Overview

Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility, in Ypsilanti near Ann Arbor, is Michigan’s only prison for women and the women’s reception center — every woman sentenced to the state system is processed here, and because there is no other women’s prison, women of all custody levels are held here, about 1,800 as of early 2026. The current consolidated facility opened in 2009 on the former Huron Valley site. It has general-population housing (Levels I, II, and IV), a residential treatment program and other mental-health units, an infirmary, and a Vocational Village job-training program. The facility has also been the subject of lawsuits and news reporting over crowding and building conditions, and a 2026 internal state assessment documented aging building systems.

What Makes Women’s Huron Valley Different

It is the only women’s prison in Michigan. Families from across the entire state travel to this one Ypsilanti location to visit an incarcerated woman.
It is also the women’s reception center. Every woman entering MDOC is processed here first, so it is the first place to locate a newly sentenced woman.
Visiting times are set by housing unit. WHV runs visits seven days a week across morning, afternoon, and evening blocks, but the times depend on the unit — confirm the specific schedule.
It is in the Ann Arbor area, comparatively reachable (about 15 minutes from Ann Arbor, 45 from Detroit) with nearby hospitals and transit.

Visiting

The statewide MDOC rules above — the approved list, the dress code, ID, and search rules — apply at Women’s Huron Valley. The facility’s own arrangements:

The full approval process is in Visiting in Michigan.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Bemis Road in the Ann Arbor–Ypsilanti area, just off Interstate 94.

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

Nearby Services

The Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor area has extensive gas, food, and lodging. The nearest 24/7 emergency room is Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital at 5301 McAuley Drive in Ypsilanti, about five to six miles away.

Mail

Personal mail goes to the facility, addressed with the woman’s name and MDOC number. Michigan photocopies incoming mail in black and white and delivers the copy; the original is shredded. For a color copy, send a JPay electronic message. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

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

Visiting in Michigan — the approved list, the dress code, and scheduling
Mail & Packages — the MDOC number, photocopying, and the 2026 legal-mail change
Phone & Video Calls — ViaPath calls, the free weekly call, and JPay messaging
Sending Money — GTL Financial Services deposits
Medical & Mental Health — the co-pay and the Legislative Corrections Ombudsman
Transfers & Finding Someone — reception, OTIS, and MI-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.