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Mark Twain State Park and Soaring Eagles Golf Course

201 Middle Rd.

Horseheads, NY 14845

607-739-0034

Services: J,L,O,V,BB,CC

Named for the great 19th-century author who spent summers in the area, Mark Twain State Park is the home of Soaring Eagles, one of the most scenic and challenging 18-hole golf courses in the region, and 3 mi./5 km. of nature trails.

GOLF COURSE

Soaring Eagles Golf Course has a unique 18-hole design with only two parallel holes. Although course builders often spend millions of dollars creating rolling and undulating courses like that of Soaring Eagles, the excellent conditions for this course were created thousands of years ago by a retreating glacier, which laid down hundreds of feet of sand, gravel, and silt. Buried ice blocks slowly melted, leaving natural kettles on the course.

The course is beautifully laid out and landscaped with strategically placed sand traps, trees, roughs, and ponds. Part of the Twin Tiers Golf Championship, which takes place every year at the end of July, Soaring Eagles is the home course of Joey Sindelar, who has a private practice hole on the course.

The course is open from April to November. During the golf season, no spectators are allowed on the course except during tournaments. At other times of the year, people are allowed on the course without charge for dog walking, jogging on the paved paths, cross-country skiing, and other activities that won't damage the course.

Equipment rental, pro shop, PGA professional on staff, lessons, informal restaurant, alcoholic beverages, driving range, putting practice green, season passes.

NATURE TRAILS

Mark Twain State Park offers 3 mi./5 km. of rolling nature trails through a variety of habitats--shrub, woodland, and wetland. The shrub and wetland areas have a variety of wildlife but are especially good in the spring for birding. The woods contains many lovely native trees and wildflowers.

The grassy trails through the shrubby habitat are mowed from time to time, but if you plan to come early in the morning, you may want to wear boots as the grass will be wet. Most of the trails are fairly obvious but unmarked. The undulating terrain would make cross-country skiing difficult, but snowshoeing should be easy.

The nature trails are separate from the golf course and are open to the public without charge all year long. To access the trails, drive .5 mi./.8 km. north of the main entrance to the park/golf course. On the west side of the road is space for one or two cars parked parallel to the road. The trail head is there.

Dogs must be leashed in all areas of the park and owners are expected to clean up after their dogs.

Satellite map of park (pdf)

(The three white domed structures on the map are owned by the park but are used by Elmira College for their athletic programs.)

Key to Services

A-Beach

B-Biking

C-Boat Launch Sites

D-Boat Rentals

E-Cabins

F-Camper Recreation

G-Campsites

H-Dockage

I-Dumping Station

J-Empire Passport Accepted

K-Fishing

L-Food

M-Hiking

N-Marina

O-Nature Trail

P-Pavilions

Q-Picnic Tables

R-Playground

S-Playing Fields

T-Powerboats

U-Recreation Programs

V-Showers

W-Sledding

X-Snowmobiling

Y-Snowshoeing

Z-Tent/Trailer Sites

AA-Vacation Rentals

BB-X-Country Skiing

CC-Scenic Views

DD-All above 

Updated 30 June 2010