How to Connect with an Inmate at Willow River, Moose Lake Correctional Facility

The Minnesota Correctional Facility - Willow River/Moose Lake, is a two-site prison facility, located in Pine and Carlton Counties, and is run by the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Moose Lake is a medium-security facility located just off Highway 73, and can hold approximately 1,000 men. It is the former Moose Lake Regional Treatment Center. The Challenge Incarceration Program (CIP) in Willow River began in 1992, and the facility can house another 180 minimum security male inmates. If you want to communicate with a loved one at a location, DoNotPay can help you navigate through the process.

Minnesota Correctional Facility - Willow River/Moose Lake Contact Information

As there are two separate facilities, you must make sure you have the correct contact information when calling with questions about visitation, mail, or other policies.

Name	Address	Phone	E-Mail	Website
Minnesota Correctional Facility - Willow River	86032 County Highway 61 Willow River, MN 55795	218-372-3101	MCF-Willow-River-Moose-Lake.doc@state.mn.us	Minnesota Correctional Facility - Willow River
Minnesota Correctional Facility - Moose Lake	1000 Lakeshore Drive Moose Lake, MN 55767	218-485-5000	MCF-Willow-River-Moose-Lake.doc@state.mn.us	Minnesota Correctional Facility - Moose Lake

Visitation Information for Willow River and Moose Lake

It is always advisable to check with each facility to verify if there have been temporary or permanent changes to the inmate visitation policy.

Willow River - Challenge Incarceration Program

Before visiting Willow River-CIP, all visitors must mail an application to MCF-Rush City 7600 525th Street, Rush City, MN 55069.

Visits must be scheduled in advance using the Online Scheduling Option
Verify that you are scheduling a day where the inmate is authorized to have visitations

A Clear Tag Squad designation means the inmate is authorized to have visits on Saturdays.
A Green Tag Squad designation means the inmate is authorized to have visits on Sundays.

You can schedule visits up to seven days prior, but it must be scheduled more than 24 hours before the actual visit day
CIP participants are allowed up to two one-hour visits per month on authorized days. The visits must be separate one-hour visits, and cannot be combined in one day.
There can be up to three approved visitors allowed at one time during a visit
There are eight visiting slots available during each time block:

9:00 am – 10:00 am
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Visitors must be approved and pass a visitor screening and registration process.

Additional questions or concerns can be addressed to the Visiting Staff Contact at 218-485-2400.

Moose Lake Visitation Policies

Before visiting anyone at Moose Lake, you must mail an application to MCF-Rush City 7600 525th Street, Rush City, MN 55069.

All visits to Moose Lake are by appointment only. You can schedule in the following ways:

Call 218-485-5170 during the following hours: Thursday - Sunday 9 am - 4 pm. Do not leave a voicemail to schedule a visitation, as it will not be returned.
Schedule via the Online Scheduling Option

Visiting hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
You must review the Moose Lake visitation schedule on the website to schedule your visit.
You need to schedule at least 24 hours in advance, and cannot schedule more than one appointment at a time.
All visits are one hour in length and are limited to a total of four visitors.
Other safety and health guidelines may be in place.
Restrictive Housing Population can have visitations on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm by scheduled teleconference

Call 218-485-5170 at least 24 hours in advance to make an appointment.

How to Write to an Inmate at Willow River or Moose Lake Correctional Facility

Although sending mail to inmates is encouraged, it must meet certain criteria. You can send the following:

Paper with words or drawings
Photographs (maximum 20), but polaroids must have their backing removed
periodicals or published materials sent directly from the publisher
clippings or photocopies of published materials that meet criteria
Commercial greeting cards and postcards - that do not have electronically recorded material

To send mail to an inmate, you must include their Identification (OID) number. Address inmate mail using the appropriate Willow River or Moose Lake Address listed above.

Name and OID# (Identification Number)

MCF- (facility name where inmate is housed)

Facility Address

DoNotPay Can Help You Contact Loved Ones at Willow River/Moose Lake Correctional Facility

It can be a little confusing to make sure you follow the correct procedures when trying to connect with a friend or family member at a correctional facility. If you need help contacting or writing a letter to an inmate at a , DoNotPay is here to help.

Locate the Connect With an Inmate service on DoNotPay.
Choose whether you want to locate a loved one, create a virtual mailbox, or send a personalized letter.
If you want us to find your loved one, provide his or her personal details and the state they are located in. We'll then conduct a search on the appropriate state database.
If you want to create a virtual mailbox, just provide your full name! We'll set one up for you so you can easily receive incoming mail from your loved one.
If sending a personalized letter, tell us which facility your loved one is located in and what you would like to say to them. You can even include a photo! Your letter will be delivered automatically - just wait 10 days for it to arrive to your loved one!