4.8
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208
hikers
Kinsol Trestle Trail
00:56
3.50km
40m
Hiking
On the Kinsol Trestle Trail, you’ll discover a historic railway bridge that was used until the late 1970s to transport timber across Vancouver Island’s rugged terrain.
This flat route, part of the long-distance Trans Canada Trail, starts with a passage through a dense and lush mixed forest. The forest begins to open out as you approach the railway bridge. This spectacular wooden structure, which is over 100 years old, spans the 44-metre-deep (144-ft) valley pit over a length of 187 metres (614 ft). You can learn about the history of the bridge from the information boards and enjoy a break at one of the picnic areas along the Koksilah River.
The trail’s car park is only around 45 minutes north of Victoria, Vancouver Island’s capital. If you wish, you can extend your hike along one of the trails around the bridge.
Last updated: November 18, 2024
Waypoints
Start point
Parking
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1.44 km
Kinsol Trestle
Highlight • Bridge
It was built between 1911 and 1920 to transport timber. After the railway connection was closed in 1979, the bridge was no longer maintained, which is why its condition continued to deteriorate. After extensive renovation, it was reopened to pedestrians and cyclists in 2011. The Trans Canada Trail runs over the bridge.
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3.50 km
End point
Parking
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
2.52 km
877 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
2.52 km
538 m
339 m
< 100 m
< 100 m
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Elevation
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Today
Friday 8 May
16°C
8°C
14 %
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Trail Reviews
In the morning, we head to Courtenay on the east coast. From there, we plan to explore Strathcona Provincial Park, weather permitting 🤞🏻 On the way, we make a scheduled stop at the Kinsol Trestle, a wooden railway bridge built in 1919; it is now the largest bridge of its kind in the world. The railway line was closed in 1979, and the bridge was left to decay. At the initiative of the Friends of the Trestle, the bridge was renovated in 2007 and is now used as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge. https://www.cvrd.ca/1379/Kinsol-Trestle
On the way to the ferry 🚢 we made a detour ↩️ to visit the historic railway bridge Kinsol Trestle 🚂🌉 👀. Since it can only be reached on foot 🦶, we used a hiking parking lot 🅿️ on Vancouver Island one last time and set off. Distance 🅿️ ↔️ 🌉: 1.2 km. The Kinsol Trestle Bridge is one of the tallest freestanding and most spectacular timber trestle structures in the world. It has a length ↔️of 1️⃣8️⃣7️⃣ meters and a height ⬆️of 4️⃣4️⃣ m. It used to be used as a railway bridge 🛤, today only a bike 🚲 or hiking trail 🥾 leads over the bridge. 📷✅️ ➡️ 🔙🛻.
Comments
September 4, 2024
On the Kinsol Trestle Trail, you’ll discover a historic railway bridge that was used until the late 1970s to transport timber across Vancouver Island’s rugged terrain.
This flat route, part of the long-distance Trans Canada Trail, starts with a passage through a dense and lush mixed forest. The forest
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August 27, 2025
On my bucket list is the Myra Canyon Trestles (with 18 wooden trestle bridges and two tunnels) near Kelowna for hiking and biking. This must be similar to the Kinsol Trestle Trail. I'll have to do it the next time I'm in Canada. 😀
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