Travel Guide: USPSA Multigun Nationals 2026

USPSA Multigun Nationals is the technical counterpoint to Rocky Mountain 3-Gun. Where RM3G is about natural terrain and endurance, USPSA Multigun is about stage design, transitions, and precision under USPSA rules. The 2026 edition is at Forest Lake Sportsmen's Club, about 40 minutes north of downtown Minneapolis. Forest Lake is one of the best-developed practical shooting venues in the Midwest, and the logistics are easier than most destination matches.

Getting there

Your airport is easy: Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP).

• MSPis a Delta hub with nonstop service from almost every major US city. Southwest, United, American, JetBlue, and Sun Country all fly in. It's one of the better airports in the country for shooter travel - no weird TSA quirks, plenty of rental car options, easy highway exit.
• From MSP to Forest Lake is about 40 minutes north on I-35. Straightforward drive, mostly highway.

If you're driving from the Midwest, Forest Lake is an easy waypoint - I-35 runs through it. Chicago is about 6 hours, Des Moines is 4 hours, Milwaukee is 5 hours. Plenty of shooters from the Upper Midwest drive rather than fly.

Lodging

Forest Lake is a small suburb with limited hotel inventory, so most out-of-town shooters stay in one of three places:

• Forest Lake itself - AmericInn and a couple of smaller motels. Fills up fast during match week. 10-15 minutes from the range. Best option if you can book early.
• Blaine / Lino Lakes area - 15-20 minutes south. More hotel inventory, more restaurants, near the Twin Cities suburbs. Plenty of mid-tier chains: Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Residence Inn.
• Stillwater- 30 minutes east along the St. Croix River. Historic small town with nicer boutique hotels and good restaurants. A little farther but a better experience if you're bringing a spouse or making a vacation of it.

Don't plan on staying in downtown Minneapolis - the commute is 45+ minutes each way in match traffic and you'll regret it after a 10-hour day.

At the range

Forest Lake Sportsmen's Club has a modern layout built for multi-day major matches. Bays are close together, infrastructure is solid, and the match director team has years of USPSA Multigun Nationals experience. Bring the usual:

• Cooler with ice for hydration (July in Minnesota is hot and humid).
• Rain gear in your range bag - summer storms are a real possibility.
• Bug spray. Minnesota in July has mosquitoes. Seriously.
• Two hearing protection options in case one fails - you're a long way from a gun store.

Weather and what to bring

Mid-July in Forest Lake:

• Highs in the low to mid 80s
• Lows around 65
• Humidity is the story - Minnesota summer is surprisingly muggy. Expect to be sticky even at 75 degrees.
• Thunderstorms can appear quickly, usually in the late afternoon. Rain delays are possible.

Pack light layers, moisture-wicking shirts, and a light rain jacket. Unlike the dry Southwest, cotton will be unpleasant here.

First-timer tips

• Zero before you travel if possible. Less important than at altitude venues, but it saves range time.
• Ammunition logistics are easy here. There are several gun stores within 30 minutes of Forest Lake if you need to buy shells on short notice, which matters for 3-Gun slug stages.
• Most stages run close together. Less walking and driving than the destination ranges in the West - you should actually have time for lunch between stages.
• Bring layers for early morning. Even in July, 5:30 AM range setup at Forest Lake is cold enough that a light jacket helps.

If you're bringing family

Minneapolis-St. Paul is a genuinely good Midwest city. The Minneapolis Institute of Art is free, the Walker Art Center is a few blocks away, the chain of lakes (Lake Calhoun / Bde Maka Ska, Lake Harriet, Lake of the Isles) is beautiful in summer, and the food scene is better than you'd expect. Stillwater is charming for a day trip. Duluth and Lake Superior are two hours north if you have a full day off.

Summary

USPSA Multigun Nationals at Forest Lake is one of the easier majors to travel to. Fly into MSP, stay in Forest Lake or the close suburbs, drive 10-20 minutes to the range each day, and enjoy a well-organized match at one of the better multigun venues in the country. The Twin Cities make a solid base for a family trip.