I love a good trestle…and this one is spectacular.
The Historic Kinsol Trestle is one of eight trestles along a section of the Cowichan Valley Trail Route. One of the tallest wooden railway trestles in the world, the Kinsol is 187 metres in length and stands 44 metres above the Koksilah River. The trestle was originally built to connect Victoria to Nootka Sound passing through Cowichan Lake and Port Alberni to transport old-growth timber. The line was never completed and the last train to cross the trestle was in 1979.
From the parking lot, the Trestle is a short 15 minute walk on a wide, flat gravel path. The trail is open to walkers, bikers and horses. After crossing the trestle, you can continue straight along the main Cowichan Valley Trail or veer off and take trails down to the river. There are a number of trails on either side of the trestle to explore, along the river and through the forest. As soon as you leave the main path, it get quite technical, proper hiking gear is recommended.
