Wyoming State Penitentiary

Wyoming's high-custody men's prison, south of Interstate 80 at Rawlins — not to be confused with the original penitentiary downtown, which is now a museum.

Overview

The Wyoming State Penitentiary is the state’s high-custody men’s prison, holding both general population and administrative segregation — and, since its North Facility was vacated, medium and minimum custody men as well. The current complex opened its South Facility in 2001 south of Interstate 80 outside Rawlins, with a published capacity of 826. It also houses the Youthful Offender Treatment Program (formerly the Wyoming Boot Camp, now therapeutically focused per WDOC’s annual report), up to 45 beds, which moved to Rawlins from Newcastle.

One thing to know before searching for directions: the original Wyoming State Penitentiary, which operated downtown from 1901 to 1981, is now the Wyoming Frontier Prison — a museum on West Walnut Street that offers public tours. The operating prison is a separate modern complex south of the interstate on Higley Boulevard. Mail and visits go only to 2900 S. Higley Blvd / P.O. Box 400.

What Makes Wyoming State Penitentiary Different

• Visiting runs by housing unit, not facility-wide. The posted schedule assigns each unit specific days — so which day a family can visit depends on where the person lives inside the prison, and a unit move can change the visiting day.
• Units E1 through E3 have non-contact visits only, by special visit request — visits there require arranging in advance rather than walking in.
• The Youthful Offender Treatment Program has its own Monday visiting day.
• WSP’s posted rules add to the statewide dress code: no red, orange, or camouflage clothing, no shorts, no sleeveless tops without a covering jacket, and no flip-flops.
• At WSP, vending purchases during visits are by debit or credit card — no cash, per the posted schedule. That differs from the statewide change-and-tokens rule, so check the current posted document before arriving with quarters.
• The prison shares its interstate exit with a Greyhound stop at the TA truck stop, but WDOC itself cautions that taxi service in Rawlins “may or may not be available.”

Visiting Hours and Procedures

The statewide rules above — the inmate-initiated application, dress code, ID, and the full-body scanner — apply at WSP. What follows is specific to this facility.

The posted schedule offers mid-session leave times at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., with shuttle arrangements made through the visitation officer. Video visits run on ICSolutions’ “The Visitor” system — registration is free, visits from home carry a fee that the vendor says varies by facility, and scheduling runs through icsolutions.com. The approval process, the 15-minute arrival window, and what you can bring are covered in Visiting in Wyoming.

Getting There and Parking

WDOC’s published directions: take Exit 214 off Interstate 80 at Higley Boulevard, go south past the TA truck stop, turn left at the security gates, and park in the Administration Building lot as posted.

Greyhound stops at the TA Travel Center at the same Exit 214 interchange, but there is no published walking route to the prison gate, and WDOC warns that taxi service may not be available. Rawlins has a small demand-response city bus (Tuesday-Friday, daytime only, by advance call to 307-320-5267) — whether it serves the prison site is not published, so confirm fare and route by phone. For most visitors the trip is by car, and the I-80 winter-closure check is part of planning it.

Nearby Services

The TA Travel Center at Exit 214 — the landmark in WDOC’s own directions — has 24-hour fuel, restrooms, a Subway, and a restaurant. Rawlins, a town of about 8,000, has a full strip of chain hotels including a Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, and several budget options.

The hospital is Memorial Hospital of Carbon County at 2221 W. Elm Street in Rawlins, with 24/7 emergency care — the only trauma-receiving hospital in the county.

Learn More

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

• Visiting in Wyoming — the inmate-initiated application, dress code, and scanner
• Mail & Packages — the number-after-name addressing rule
• Phone & Video Calls — the ICSolutions system and calling lists
• Sending Money — the visitor-list deposit requirement
• Medical & Mental Health — the 24/7 family crisis line
• Transfers — intake, custody levels, and out-of-state placement