Cracker Box Palace at Historic Alasa Farms

Cracker Box Palace combines farm-animal rescue, land conservation, and two centuries of agricultural history on 627 acres near Sodus Bay. Visitors can meet the sanctuary’s residents, walk through the historic farmstead, and follow marked trails across fields, forests, orchards, wetlands, and creek corridors.

Meet the Animals

Cracker Box Palace provides shelter and rehabilitation for more than 150 farm animals. Horses, donkeys, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, geese, chickens, rabbits, and other residents live among the farm’s historic barns and pastures.

Some animals recover here before being adopted into permanent homes. Others remain at the sanctuary because of their age, health, or need for specialized care. Many arrived after experiencing neglect, abuse, abandonment, or circumstances that left their owners unable to care for them.

Visitors may take a self-guided walk through the animal village, using maps available near the barns and main office. Because Cracker Box Palace is a working sanctuary rather than a petting zoo, follow posted instructions, remain outside closed barns and enclosures, and allow each animal its own space. The sanctuary provides guidance about appropriate treats and safe feeding.

Explore the Trails

The trails at Alasa Farms extend the experience well beyond the barns. More than seven miles of marked routes pass through working farmland, old orchards, wetlands, and over 350 acres of woodland. Several trails follow the landscape toward Second Creek, one of two waterways on the property that drain into Sodus Bay.

These woods and wetlands protect water quality while providing habitat for native plants, mammals, amphibians, and migrating songbirds. The property also includes 30 acres of DEC Class II wetlands, as well as marshland near Sodus Bay.

In 2011, Genesee Land Trust received a conservation easement protecting Alasa Farms from future development. The agreement preserves the property as open space, wildlife habitat, and working farmland, regardless of who may own it in the future. The partnership between Cracker Box Palace and Genesee Land Trust protects both the sanctuary’s setting and an ecologically significant part of the Sodus Bay watershed.

The shorter Fairy Trail offers a playful option for young children. Other routes cover rough, uneven ground that may be muddy, icy, or wet depending on the season. Wear sturdy footwear, remain on marked trails, and keep dogs leashed.

Historic Alasa Farms

Members of the Sodus Shaker community settled this land in 1826 and farmed here until 1838. The property later supported a short-lived Fourierist community associated with the social-reform movements of the mid-1800s.

In the twentieth century, the property became Alasa Farms, a nationally recognized breeding operation for Standardbred horses and purebred cattle. Two Shaker-era buildings remain, and the entire property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, the preserved barns, fields, orchards, forests, and waterways support a new form of stewardship—caring for animals while protecting the land around them.

Plan Your Visit

Address: 6420 Shaker Road, North Rose
Hours: Hours vary; check the official Visit page before traveling.
Phone: 315-483-2493
Website: crackerboxpalace.org

Self-guided visitors should sign in at the kiosk outside the gift shop. Guided farm and trail tours require advance arrangements. Check current conditions before traveling, as weather, animal care, and farm operations may affect access.

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