Close and minimum security (men) · State Prison · NCDAC

Foothills Correctional Institution

Morganton, Burke County, North Carolina

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (828) 475-7600 Info last verified: June 2026

A close- and minimum-security state prison for men in Morganton, in the western North Carolina foothills, housing many young adults.

Statewide rules that apply at every NCDAC prison

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

Dress code

Dress modestly — no halter, tube, strapless, tank, sleeveless, or underwear-style tops, no bare midriffs, and no spandex; shorts and skirts must be no more than about three inches above the knee.
Cell phones, smartwatches, cameras, and recording devices are not allowed inside, and each prison may turn away a visitor who is dressed out of code, so confirm the facility's rules before traveling.

ID: Every visitor must be approved on the offender's visiting list before visiting — the incarcerated person mails an application to each prospective visitor; applicants 16 and older attach a copy of a government photo ID (minors under 16 a birth certificate), and the completed form goes to the prison where the person is housed. Visitors 16 and older show photo ID at the visit.
What to bring: Bring only what the facility allows — phones, smartwatches, cameras, bags, and most personal items are not permitted in the visiting room. Money for the person's trust account is sent through ViaPath (ConnectNetwork) or TouchPay, never handed over at a visit.
Scheduling: Visits are by appointment only — call or email the specific prison to schedule; there is no statewide online scheduler, and visitation status should be confirmed the day before. Visits are generally limited to one per week, up to two hours, with up to three approved visitors. Women enter the system through the diagnostic center at the NC Correctional Institution for Women (Raleigh); men are received at several prisons, including Craven and Piedmont.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in North Carolina

Overview

Foothills Correctional Institution is a close- and minimum-security prison for men in Morganton, Burke County, in the western North Carolina foothills. The facility is operated by the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC).

According to the NCDAC, the main facility holds close-custody men, while minimum-custody men are housed in separate dormitories on the same campus.

Men’s reception in North Carolina uses a distributed model: Craven Correctional Institution in Vanceboro is a major processing center, Piedmont Correctional Institution in Salisbury receives western men age 22 and older with sentences under ten years, and Central Prison in Raleigh runs a special-population diagnostic. Because families are not notified of routine transfers, the NCDAC offender locator is the way to confirm where someone is currently held.

What Makes Foothills Different

According to the NCDAC, the close-custody portion of Foothills houses men ages 18 to 25 — a young-adult population in close custody. Minimum-custody men occupy separate dormitories on the same campus. The current custody assignment and housing for a particular person can be confirmed through the prison or on the NCDAC offender locator.

Visiting

The statewide NCDAC rules above — the approved visitor list, the dress code, ID, and item limits — apply at Foothills Correctional Institution. The facility’s own arrangements:

Approval first: Every visitor must be on the offender’s approved visiting list. The incarcerated person mails an application to each prospective visitor (up to 18 applications); applicants age 16 and older attach a copy of a photo ID, and minors under 16 a copy of a birth certificate. The completed form goes to the prison where the person is housed.
Scheduling: Visits are by appointment only. North Carolina has no statewide online scheduler — call or email Foothills Correctional Institution to schedule, and confirm visitation status the day before.
Visit limits: Generally one visit per week, up to two hours, with up to three approved visitors. Whether a visit is contact or non-contact depends on the person’s custody class and disciplinary status.
Video visits: Available separately through the GettingOut Visits app (ViaPath), on demand or scheduled.

Getting There and Parking

Foothills Correctional Institution is at 5150 Western Ave., Morganton, NC 28655, in Burke County in the western North Carolina foothills. Morganton lies along Interstate 40 between Hickory to the east and Asheville to the west. There is no public-transit service to the facility; visitors generally arrive by private vehicle. Confirm visiting days and hours with the facility before traveling.

Nearby Services

Morganton is the seat of Burke County. The nearest full-service hospital emergency room is in Morganton, with additional hospitals in the Hickory area to the east along Interstate 40. Lodging, fuel, and restaurants are available in Morganton and in the Hickory area.

Mail

Incoming personal mail does not go to the prison. North Carolina sends personal mail to an off-site vendor, TextBehind, which opens and scans it and delivers a digital copy to the incarcerated person’s tablet; original letters, cards, and packages are returned to the sender. Address personal mail with the person’s full name and OPUS number and the full (unabbreviated) prison name to: TextBehind, P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131 — and include the sender’s full first and last name in the return address. Legal mail is exempt and goes directly to the facility. Books and publications must come from a publisher or online retailer, shipped to the prison’s street address, not the TextBehind box. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

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

Visiting in North Carolina — the approved visitor list, the application, and scheduling
Mail & Packages — the TextBehind mail-scanning process and what still goes to the facility
Phone & Video Calls — ViaPath calls, tablets, and GettingOut video visits
Sending Money — depositing through ViaPath/ConnectNetwork and TouchPay
Medical & Mental Health — sick-call co-pays, mental health, and the grievance board
Transfers & Finding Someone — reception, the locator, and transfers

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.