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Kinsol Trestle

The Kinsol Trestle in the Cowichan Valley is a curved timber rail bridge spanning the Koksilah River, an iconic symbol of Vancouver Island’s railway heritage, now restored for trail use

Location

About

  • Stretching across the Koksilah River, the Kinsol Trestle stands as one of the tallest and most impressive timber rail trestles globally

  • The Kinsol Trestle is one of eight trestles along the Cowichan Valley Trail route and is 187 metres (614 feet) in length and stands 44 metres (145 feet) above the river

  • The trestle is unique for its seven-degree curve and its dramatic size, making it a rare example of timber railway bridges

  • The Kinsol Trestle is a key reminder of early mining and logging industries, symbolizing the economic development of Vancouver Island in the late 19th and early 20th centuries

  • The trestle was designed by engineers and was built by 55 local farmers and loggers starting in 1911 to transport timber more efficiently by rail and it was completed in February 1920

  • It was partially rebuilt a few times over the years and as trucks began to haul logs starting in the 1950s, the trestle was abandoned when the rail line closed in 1979.

  • The trestle sat unused for almost 30 years until it was carefully restored for recreational trail use beginning in 2008 and it reopened in July 2011

  • The trestle represents the optimism of a new nation and the role of railways in driving British Columbia’s economy 

Lands

  • Ancestral and unceded territory of the Quw’utsun, Malahat, Ts’uubaa-asatx, Halalt, Penelakut, Stz’uminus, Lyackson, Pauquachin, Ditidaht & Pacheedaht Peoples 

Amenities

  • Picnic tables and benches

  • Washrooms

  • Parking

  • Walking/hiking trails

  • Horseback riding 

Online

Videos



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