Medium security, with minimum custody (men) · State Prison · ODOC

Snake River Correctional Institution

Ontario, Malheur County, Oregon

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (541) 881-4577 Info last verified: June 2026

Oregon's largest prison, in Ontario in the far eastern corner of the state on the Idaho border — remote, closer to Boise than to any Oregon city, and on Mountain time, which changes when visits actually start.

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

Snake River Correctional Institution, near Ontario, is Oregon’s largest prison, holding about 2,700 men in medium and minimum custody plus special-housing units. It opened in 1991 and sits on a large site with an enclosed corridor system connecting housing, programs, and work areas. Its defining feature for families is location: it is in the far eastern corner of the state, on the Idaho border, closer to Boise, Idaho (about an hour away) than to any major Oregon city — Portland is roughly a six-hour drive.

What Makes Snake River Different

It is Oregon’s largest prison, so it holds more men than any other ODOC facility.
It is remote and far east, closer to Boise than to Portland or Salem — Boise is the nearest city and airport.
It is on Mountain time, unlike most of Oregon, which is on Pacific time. ODOC posts Snake River’s visiting hours in Mountain time, so visitors from elsewhere in the state must add an hour.
Visits are walk-in. Unlike some Oregon prisons, general-population and minimum visits here are not scheduled ahead — they are first come, first seated, with priority to those who traveled.

Visiting

The statewide ODOC rules above — the approved list, the no-blue dress code, ID, and search rules — apply at Snake River. The facility’s own schedule (all times Mountain time):

The full approval process is in Visiting in Oregon.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on Stanton Boulevard, a few miles northwest of Ontario, just off Interstate 84 near the Idaho line.

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

Nearby Services

Ontario has gas, food, and lodging, with a larger selection in the Boise, Idaho area about an hour east. The nearest 24/7 emergency room is Saint Alphonsus Medical Center Ontario at 351 SW 9th Street in Ontario, a few miles from the prison.

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.