🔟 Top 10 Things To Do in the Des Moines Area

While You’re in Town for the 2026 SASS Iowa/Nebraska State Championship

Coming to Indianola for the SASS 2026 Iowa/Nebraska State Championship (May 22–24, 2026)? Memorial Day Weekend is the perfect time to explore Central Iowa while you’re here.

Whether you’re bringing family, staying a few extra days, or just looking for something to do after the shooting is done, here are ten great options nearby.

May will be here soon! If you’ve yet to register, CLICK HERE for more information about the match, including links to our online and paper registration forms.

1️⃣ Tour the Iowa State Capitol & Downtown Des Moines

The gold dome of the Iowa State Capitol is visible for miles. Take a free guided tour, walk the beautiful Capitol grounds, then explore the East Village shops, restaurants, and coffee houses just below the hill. Click here for more information.

2️⃣ Visit the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Relax inside the stunning glass conservatory along the river. Tropical plants, seasonal exhibits, and outdoor gardens make this a peaceful break between match days. Click here for more information.

3️⃣ Walk the Pappajohn Sculpture Park

Located in downtown Des Moines, this 4.4-acre outdoor sculpture park is free and walkable. It’s perfect for photos and an easy evening stroll. Click here for more information.

4️⃣ Blank Park Zoo

Located on the south side of Des Moines (only about 30 minutes from the range), Blank Park Zoo is a fun option for families. It’s easy to navigate, has great exhibits, and makes for a relaxed half-day outing between match events. Click here for more information.

5️⃣ Spend Time at Lake Red Rock

About 30 minutes from Indianola, Lake Red Rock is Iowa’s largest lake. Enjoy boating, fishing, hiking trails, or just take in a beautiful sunset over the water. Click here for more information.

6️⃣ Explore Living History Farms

This 500-acre open-air museum showcases Iowa farm life from the 1700s through the early 1900s. Cowboys will feel right at home. Click here for more information.

7️⃣ Experience Iowa Craft Breweries

Des Moines has a strong craft beer scene. Several local breweries offer taprooms, food, and great atmosphere for relaxing after a full day at the range.

8️⃣ Shop at Jordan Creek Town Center

If someone in your group prefers shopping to shooting, Jordan Creek in West Des Moines offers retail stores, restaurants, and a scenic lake boardwalk. Click here for more information.

9️⃣ Take the Family to Adventureland

Located in Altoona, Adventureland is Iowa’s largest amusement park, featuring rides, water attractions, and family-friendly entertainment. Click here for more information.

🔟 Enjoy Classic Iowa Dining

While you’re here, don’t leave without trying:

A giant Iowa pork tenderloin sandwich
A Midwest steakhouse
Mexican favorites in Indianola
Or one of Des Moines’ growing list of chef-driven restaurants

👉 Be sure to check our Visitor Information Guide for hotel recommendations, restaurant listings, and local travel details.

Make It a Long Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend is the perfect time to:

Shoot a great State Match
Explore Central Iowa
Bring the family
Stay a few extra days (or head to central Iowa a little early)

We’ll see you at Coyote Gulch, May 22–24, 2026!

Exciting news: FDMR Now Offers Online Membership Renewals

Exciting news: FDMR now offers two options for members to renew their membership – the traditional Paper form and our new Online form.

Click here and select the form want to use. The Online form is about as easy and convenient as it gets, takes less than 5 minutes, and you can use any credit card.

The forms can also be found in the Registration and Membership Forms link in the top menu of our home page. Both registration forms provide Single and Family Membership options.

Cost for a Single Membership (renewal or new) is just $25; the cost for a Family Membership is just $35. Members receive $5 off each monthly match.

If you’ve not renewed your membership, or if you would like to become a member of Fort Des Moines Rangers Cowboy Action Shooting club, it doesn’t get any easier than this. Give it a try today!

Welcome to the Fort Des Moines Rangers New Website and Blog

Welcome to Fort Des Moines Rangers’ new and improved Cowboy Action Shooting Website and Blog page. Our goal for this website is for it to:

Serve as a resource for current information and news concerning club activities;
Encourage and expand participation in Fort Des Moines Rangers and its hosted competitions by making this information more readily available to others;
Serves as an educational tool for new and prospective members; and,
Promote Fort Des Moines Rangers’ Cowboy Action Shooting facilities – one of the finest in the region.

We are excited to bring this upgraded website to you. The website contains links to Information about our club and facilities, a Schedule of upcoming events and Match competitions and Scores, Registration Forms, and a Blog page which we will use to post club announcements, general information, and comments. It also provides us with new capabilities going forward.

Please take the time to explore the website and let us know what you think. We would also appreciate it if you would share it with your friends and family, on Facebook, SASSNet, and other social media sites, as well as with your fellow Cowboy Action Shooting enthusiasts.

Most importantly, please consider entering your email address in the SUBSCRIBE box along the website’s right margin. Subscribers automatically receive club announcements via email immediately upon their posting.

2025 Iowa/Nebraska State Championship Results

The 2025 IA/NE State Match has once again came to a conclusion…. and what a Championship it was. 3 days of great cowboy action shooting, and even a better group of people. Thanks to everyone who helped make it the outstanding event it was.

Congratulations to our Overall Champions – Little Hermana and Cowboy Carty, to the Iowa State Champions – Little Hermana and JB Kidd, to the NE State Champions – DB Belle and Platt Valley Kid, and to our 16 Clean Shooters.

Click here to download the State Championship Match Scores and Clean Shooter list

Hope to see ya next year on Memorial Day Weekend!