When Can You Visit Hilltop Unit? Visiting Hours, Cycles, and Visit Lengths

At TDCJ units like Hilltop, visits normally happen on the weekend. Standard visiting hours are Saturday and Sunday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (Your specific start time will depend on what time slots are offered and what you’re able to schedule.)

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Eligible inmates get one visit per cycle - that's one visit total between Monday and the following Sunday. This explains why the online scheduling system can feel confusing: if someone already has a visit booked that week, other dates in the same cycle won't show up. Not seeing the weekend you expected? A visit is probably already on the calendar for that cycle.

Regular in-person visits last two hours. The clock starts when both you and the inmate are present - so processing delays or waiting for the inmate to arrive will cut into your actual face-to-face time.

Traveling a long distance? Ask about an extended visit. The warden (or designee) may approve visits up to four hours for visitors traveling more than 250 miles one way. These depend on available time and space, so treat them as a possibility rather than a guarantee when planning your trip.

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• ✓ Use the TDCJ online visitation scheduler, and remember it won’t show dates during a week where the inmate already has a visit scheduled.
• ✓ Confirm the inmate is assigned to the Hilltop Unit before you plan your drive.
• ✓ Verify visitation hasn’t been canceled for the day you want to go - an eligible inmate still can’t receive visitors if visitation has been canceled.
• ✓ Call the unit for final confirmation before traveling.

If an in-person slot doesn't work out, remote video visits are another option. TDCJ allows eligible inmates one remote video visit per month, up to 60 minutes. For many families, this can be a practical backup when travel or scheduling gets tight.