Minimum security (men) · State Prison · ODOC

Columbia River Correctional Institution

Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (503) 280-6646 Info last verified: June 2026

Oregon's main reentry prison for the Portland metro — a minimum-security men's facility in northeast Portland near the airport, for people within a few years of release. It is the one Oregon prison reachable by city bus.

Statewide rules that apply at every Oregon state prison

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

Dress code

Footwear and undergarments are required; undergarments must not be visible through clothing, and underwire bras are not allowed because they trigger the metal detector.
No blue clothing or blue denim of any kind, and nothing camouflage — both resemble what adults in custody and staff wear.
Dresses, skirts, and shorts must reach the knee when standing; nothing sheer, see-through, low-cut, tight, or revealing, and no halter, tube, or crop tops.
No hats or head coverings except religious ones (which may be inspected), and nothing with gang symbols or with offensive or suggestive words or images.

ID: Every visitor must already be on the adult in custody's approved list (a records check is run on anyone 15 or older). Adults bring a government-issued photo ID for a contact visit; a visitor without photo ID may be limited to a non-contact visit.
What to bring: Almost nothing comes into the visit room — no phones, electronics, tobacco, or vaping. Visitors may bring a small amount of change for vending (commonly $15 to $20 — confirm with the facility), up to five photos, and a car key; lockers hold the rest.
Scheduling: The adult in custody builds the visiting list with the CD-50 application, and every visitor must be approved before scheduling. Whether visits are by appointment or first-come — and the days and hours — vary by facility, so confirm the specific prison's process before traveling.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Oregon

Overview

Columbia River Correctional Institution, in northeast Portland near the airport, is a minimum-security men’s prison and Oregon’s primary reentry and transition facility for the Portland metro. With about 595 beds, it holds men who are generally within a few months to a few years of release, and it emphasizes preparation for going home: a six-month intensive alcohol-and-drug treatment program, a co-occurring-disorders treatment unit, work crews that serve state and county agencies, and vocational training (including a Portland Community College pre-trades construction pathway). It opened in 1990 on a 26-acre site.

What Makes Columbia River Different

It is a reentry prison, so the population turns over — many people are released from here, and a person may not be here long.
It is in Portland, unlike most Oregon prisons, which are rural; it sits just west of the airport.
It is reachable by public transit. TriMet bus Route 70 stops at the facility (the stop is named for it) — the one Oregon prison a visitor can reach without a car.
It focuses on treatment and work, with intensive alcohol-and-drug programming and outside work crews.

Visiting

The statewide ODOC rules above — the approved list, the no-blue dress code, ID, and search rules — apply at Columbia River.

The full approval process is in Visiting in Oregon.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on NE Sunderland Avenue in the Sunderland area of northeast Portland, near the Columbia Slough and the airport.

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

Nearby Services

Portland has a full range of food, gas, and lodging. The nearest 24/7 emergency room is Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, a Level I trauma center on N Gantenbein Avenue, a few miles southwest of the facility.

Mail

Personal mail goes to the facility, addressed with the person’s name as ODOC lists it and their SID number. Oregon is moving toward scanning personal mail to tablets, so confirm the current method before sending. Legal mail marked “LEGAL MAIL” goes to the facility and is opened in the person’s presence. Full rules are in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone in an Oregon state prison:

Visiting in Oregon — the approved list, the no-blue dress code, and ID rules
Mail & Packages — the SID number, paper rules, and the move to scanned mail
Phone & Video Calls — the ICSolutions account and tablets
Sending Money — trust-account deposits
Medical & Mental Health — health care and the Corrections Ombudsman
Transfers & Finding Someone — the one-year line, intake, and the locator

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.