Just a stone’s throw from the scenic hot springs of Florence, Colorado, where tourists are snapping pictures and enjoying rafting, lies a starkly contrasting facility: USP Florence ADMAX.
Known colloquially as the ADX or the ‘Alcatraz of the Rockies’, this prison is recognized as the most secure federal prison in the United States. Much like Alcatraz, which closed its doors in 1963, this facility is notorious for housing some of the most dangerous criminals known today.
Opened in 1994, ADX Florence operates under ‘supermax’ conditions, a step above maximum security with stringent controls to manage inmates who pose severe security threats.
Among its infamous residents are figures such as drug lord El Chapo, Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui. The prison also houses other notorious inmates including Ramzi Yousef, involved in the 1994 World Trade Center bombing; Richard Reid, known as the shoe bomber; and Terry Nichols, a collaborator in the Oklahoma City bombing.
The design of the prison reflects its purpose—keeping these dangerous individuals securely locked away without a chance for escape.
ADX Florence is fortified with 12-foot high razor wire fences, patrolled by heavily armed guards, and equipped with high-tech security measures such as motion detectors, cameras, remote-controlled steel doors, lasers, and attack dogs. According to security experts at Identiv, inmates at ADX experience extremely limited human contact and are mostly confined to their concrete cells.
Typically, inmates spend their first three years without any interaction with fellow prisoners and eat their meals alone in their cells.
However, towards the end of their sentences, they may have the opportunity to dine in a communal area. ‘Outside’ time for good behavior doesn’t imply a traditional yard but refers to a slightly larger cell with high ceilings known as the ‘concrete pit’, allowing only minimal movement. Exceptionally well-behaved inmates might earn a transfer to a less restrictive facility, but escape is nearly impossible. The cell windows are designed so that inmates can only see the sky, disorienting them and making it difficult to plan any form of escape.
With such extensive security measures and 24-hour surveillance, the chances of escaping from ADX Florence are virtually nonexistent, ensuring that some of the world’s most dangerous individuals remain exactly where they are unless they are relocated or complete their sentences.