Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP) is a CDCR general population institution for men in Ione, Amador County, at the base of California's gold country foothills. It runs a broad set of rehabilitative and self-help programs, including dog-training programs and anger-management courses. This guide covers CDCR's statewide inmate locator, how to schedule a visit through the VSA system, sending money with JPay, free phone calls, and mail rules. All data is verified from cdcr.ca.gov.
City
Ione
County
Amador County
State
CA
Facility Type
state prison
Gender
Male
Capacity
Not published by CDCR as a fixed number; check the current Weekly Population Report
Custody Levels
General population male institution; confirm the current custody level with CDCR
Operator
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)
Address
4001 Highway 104, Ione, CA 95640
Phone
(209) 274-4911
Inmate Locator
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CDCR runs one statewide inmate search tool, not a separate tool per prison. Here's how to confirm someone is at MCSP.
View ArticleYou need CDCR Form 106 approval first, then you book contact visits through the statewide VSA system.
View ArticleDeposits go through JPay statewide, or by mail directly to the institution payable to CDCR.
View ArticleAll outgoing calls from MCSP are free. Here's how the tablet transition to Securus affects families.
View ArticleSend letters and photos to Mule Creek's single mailing address, with CDCR's photo rules.
View ArticleCDCR runs one statewide inmate search tool, CIRIS, not a separate tool per facility. Search by name or CDCR number, then confirm the result lists Mule Creek State Prison.
See the full breakdownYou need CDCR Form 106 signed by the incarcerated person and approved by Mule Creek's Visiting Department before you can schedule anything. Contact visits book through VSA; non-contact visits are scheduled by phone or email.
See the full breakdownJPay processes deposits statewide: online, by phone, or by mailing a money order to JPay's lockbox. You can also mail a check or money order payable to CDCR directly to the institution, with a 30-day hold.
See the full breakdownAll outgoing voice calls are free statewide, limited to 15 minutes. CDCR is switching tablets and messaging from ViaPath to Securus through 2026, so confirm the current provider with the institution.
See the full breakdownLetters and photos go to Mule Creek's single mailing address at P.O. Box 409099, Ione, CA 95640, with the person's full name and CDCR number.
See the full breakdown6 of 8 questions
Use CIRIS, the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search, at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov. Search by name or CDCR number, then confirm the result lists Mule Creek State Prison.
Inmate SearchFriday 12:00pm to 6:30pm (no visitor processing after 5:30pm), and Saturday and Sunday 8:30am to 3:00pm (no processing after 2:00pm). Walk-in visits are allowed during regular hours, space permitting. Call (209) 274-4911 to confirm before you travel.
VisitationYes. CDCR Form 106, the Visitor Questionnaire, must be signed by the incarcerated person and mailed to Mule Creek's Visiting Department at P.O. Box 409099, Ione, CA 95640, for a background check. The form's revision date must read 05/17 or it will be returned. Once approved, you schedule visits yourself through CDCR's VSA system.
VisitationNon-contact and Administrative Segregation visits are not booked through VSA. Call (209) 274-4911 x5410 Monday through Thursday 8:00am to noon, or email [email protected] during those same hours, to request an appointment.
VisitationCDCR doesn't publish a single downloadable family handbook PDF. Instead, its Prepare to Visit section on cdcr.ca.gov walks through ID requirements, attire rules, what you can bring, and what happens during processing, as a set of live webpages instead of one document.
AboutAll outgoing voice calls are free statewide, limited to 15 minutes. For tablets, video, and e-messages, CDCR is moving from ViaPath to Securus one institution at a time through 2026. Call (209) 274-4911 to confirm the current provider before you create an account.
Phone CallsMule Creek State Prison (MCSP) is a CDCR general population institution for men in Ione, Amador County, at the base of California's gold country foothills. It runs a wide slate of rehabilitative programs, including the Paws for Life and POOCH dog programs and the GRIP (Guiding Rage Into Power) program.
AboutUp to $100 per adult visitor and $50 per minor, in quarters, one-dollar bills, and five-dollar bills only, carried in a transparent coin purse no larger than 6x8 inches. This is for vending machines in the visiting room.
VisitationSearch for your loved one and start sending photos, letters, and messages today.
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All information on this page comes directly from official government and facility sources. How we verify information › Last verified July 18, 2026. Official source: cdcr.ca.gov/facility-locator/mcsp ›