The Largest Railroad Trestle in the British Empire

If you’re a railroad buff and visiting Vancouver Island, you might want to check out the historic Kinsol Trestle. It is a restored railroad trestle on the old abandoned CN Rail line and now part of the Trans Canada Trail.

The trestle is truly a marvel to behold. The largest wooden railroad trestle in the British Commonwealth and one of the largest in the world, it stands 145 feet above the Koksilah River with a span of 614 feet (0.187 km). It is also notable for its seven degree curve.

It is fairly easy to get to – just 48 kilometers from Victoria, British Columbia, about an hour drive. Head north up the Malahat Highway and turn off onto Shawnigan Lake Road. Just before you get to the lake, it forks with the right fork continuing as Shawnigan Lake Road. You want to take the left fork and continue up West Shawnigan Lake Road. At the end of the lake the road ends where it connects with Renfrew Road.

A right turn onto Renfrew will take you to the worlds famous Shawnigan Lake School, one of Canada's most prestigious private schools. This might be an interesting route for your return trip. But to get to the trestle, turn left onto Renfrew Road. A very short hop down the road, turn right onto Glen Eagles Road which rakes you right to the Kinsol Trestle parking lot.

We were staying with friends in Cobble Hill when we went and it’s a short thirteeen kilometres from there, also along Shawnigan Lake Road with a turnoff onto Renfrew Road. That route will take you right past Shawnigan Lake School. The trestle is just seven kilometres from the school. (Easy to find with Google Maps.)

The Canadian Northern Pacific Railway (CNPR) started the rail line to connect Victoria to Nootka Sound in 1911. The line was to run past Cowichan Lake, through Port Alberni and up to the sound. By 1924 the line had reached the east end of Cowichan Lake and by 1928 it reached the western end. But it never did get to Port Alberni and beyond.

Work on the original Kinsol Trestle began in 1914 but was halted due to World War I. Work resumed late in 1919 and the twelve story structure was completed in 1920. Although it crosses the Koksilah River, the trestle was named after the nearby Kinsol Station. The name is actually a portmanteau of the King Solomon copper mine which operated near by. But the railroad and the trestle had nothing to do with the mining operations. It was financed by the Canadian Western Lumber Company, the largest lumber company in the world at the time, and was built to support the timber trade which was becoming increasingly important on Vancouver Island. The trestle is also called Koksilah River Trestle.

The rare passenger train crossing the trestle included a 1954 excursion from Victoria to the Cowichan Valley carrying a load of railroad enthusiasts attending the national Model Railway Convention. The train stopped there on that occasion so the rail buffs could get out and take pictures.

The last train crossed in the summer of 1979 and the bridge then fell into disrepair. In 2008, after lobbying from various historical societies, three levels of government and a private trust combined resources to rehabilitate the landmark bridge. It reopened in 2011 as part of the Trans-Canada Trail.

From the parking lot, the trestle is a short hike along the abandoned rail line, now part of the trail. The walk is fairly flat.

At the trestle, you can go down to a lookout on the south side, or hike right down to the bottom on the far side. As high as a twelve story building, it is most impressive.

There are, in fact, eight trestles along the Cowichan Valley Trail portion of the Trans-Canada Trail. But the Kinsol Trestle is by far the largest and most impressive. The trail is open to cyclists, hikers and equestrians, and well worth the visit.

We spent a good hour at the trestle and then continued with a visit to Cowichan Bay, a quaint little seaside town of houseboats, fishboats and artisan shops. Meanwhile I'll leave you with these additional photos.

The Kinsol Trestle is spectacular and if you're visiting Victoria, well worth the drive out to see it.

Links of Interest

• When a Man's Home Really IS His Castle! – a tour of Craigdarroch Castle
• The Joy of Cruising – what to expect on a cruise vacation
• Singapore: Clean, Green and Safe – an overview of this tropical paradise
• My Vocal Profile Page – Links to all my articles at Vocal including short stories and poems