Neat trail, all gravel path but too many people. The majority of the gravel trail is wide and flat with some sections running along the roadways. Pleasant hike across the wooden bridge overlooking the river valley. Also a few areas to look out on the trestle, a little pavilion to rest/eat and a few little trails that take you down at the bottom of the trestle. It is 614 feet in length and stands 145 feet above the Koksilah River. The name comes from the short-lived but grandly named King Solomon Mine, located close to the trestle. The portable washrooms were really clean. Well maintained trails and lots of history to explore at the Kinsol Trestle and Cowichan Valley area. Old railway line in the cowichan valley Near Victoria. Nice groomed and maintained path. When the British Columbian legislature declined to fund the restoration, the Friends of the Trestle raised $7.4 million themselves. Great walk! The Cowichan Valley section runs from the Capital Regional District boundary at the top of the Malahat, north to Shawnigan Lake and the Kinsol Trestle, west to the Town of Lake Cowichan then north to the Nanaimo Regional District. You’ll pass over the Kinsol Trestle while travelling along the Cowichan Valley Trail, and this historic trestle is by far the largest trestle along the trail. The Cowichan Valley Trail is a Vancouver Island gem, running from Shawnigan Lake to Ladysmith. Pleasant hike across the wooden bridge overlooking the river valley. Easy straightforward wide rock path trail with an interesting trestle. Cowichan Valley trail: Kinsol Trestle is Magnificient - See 46 traveler reviews, 41 candid photos, and great deals for Lake Cowichan, Canada, at Tripadvisor. It is part of the Transcanadian trails network, so it is excellently maintained and it is possible to do it by bicycle, on horseback or on foot. C lick here to see more in a July 11, 2017 blog post on this new Trail. The Kinsol Trestle, finished in 1920, was originally built as part of a logging and mining railroad line. At 614 feet in length and standing 145 feet above the salmon bearing Koksilah River. Observation decks and trails down to the riverside. Great view and an amazing trestle! Maybe next time we will be up to riding more of the trail. In order to transport timber by rail, wooden trestles were built extensively to span the area’s massive canyons and ravines. The bridge is a true marvel. Great trail! Take the time to walk down to the river at the Kinsel Trestle!. Great little walk suitable for all ages. The Cowichan Valley Trail is a spectacular multi-use trail that is an integral part of the Trans-Canada Trail route on Southern Vancouver Island. The Cowichan Valley section runs from the Capital Regional District boundary at the top of the It is one of the tallest free-standing and most spectacular timber rail trestle structures in the world. a nice day for a drive and a couple kms of walking...Kinsol Trestle on a nice day, few people out. Segment of the Cowichan Valley Trail running between the Kinsol Trestle (near Shawnigan Lake) and Lake Cowichan. Kinsol Trestle Although Cowichan has always been ideally suited for growing timber, its rugged topography has made hauling logs particularly difficult. The Kinsol Trestle is one of eight trestles along the Cowichan Valley Trail route and by far the largest and most spectacular. I was quite amazed by the old bridge and the beautiful river under it! Very cool spot. 1, take exit to Shawnigan Lake Village, then continue on Renfrew Road 10km (6 miles), then turn right onto Glen Eagles Road, then right onto Shelby Road where you will find a parking lot. Well worth the trip and fun to take the trails closer to the river as well to adventure and feel like a mountain goat! Although Tom and I did not ride the tandem on Tuesday after our long ride last Monday, we did have one more spot to visit on the Cowichan Valley Trail: the Kinsol Trestle. The trestle is beautiful! Kinsol Trestle Trail Recreation Site is a 2.1 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Cowichan Valley Regional, British Columbia, Canada that features a river and is good for all skill levels. The trestle is located near Shawinigan Lake, just off of Glen Eagle Road. In 2007 a community group began to petition the government to revive the trestle, and in 2010 the restoration began. The Kinsol Trestle. It seemed most people were choosing this option because we saw lots of walkers but only one bike rider. Length 2.1 miElevation gain 334 ftRoute type Out & back You need to either arrange for a pick up at the end, or drive your own shuttle, and it’s a long roundabout route by car. Part of the larger network of … The trail is primarily used for hiking and walking. If you can, we’d recommend trying this trail during the week or in the evenings when the trail is a bit quieter. The trestle is 144 feet high and 617 feet long but it is the seven-degree curve that truly makes it unusual. The trail is wheelchair accessible and is flat, wide, and surfaced with crushed gravel fines. The Cowichan Valley Trail to Kinsol Trestle is a rather popular bike ride, especially for families. There are accessible toilet facilities at the parking lot and on the north side of the Kinsol Trestle that are open year round. The three of us about to start. We drove there, parked, and walked the distance to the trestle. Our children loved it. I would recommend this trail for running or walking! perfect weather, easy trail gradient, nicely treed whole way. Good connections to additional hikes and walks, leave for hours of outdoor exploration. Wow! The Kinsol Trestle is one of eight trestles along the Cowichan Valley Trail route and by far the largest and most spectacular. Fortunately there is a Cowichan Valley Trail trailhead about a mile away from the Kinsol Trestle. The Kinsol Trestle is one of the tallest free-standing and most spectacular timber rail trestle structures in the world. I took pictures from both ends and both sides, then we hiked down to the river. It is the largest and one of the tallest free-standing timber trestle structures in the world. The Kinsol Trestle is one of the tallest free-standing and most spectacular timber rail trestle structures in the world. Cowichan Valley Trail, 66 Mile Trestle to Lake Cowichan (10.6km) Old rail grade through provincial park and private forest lands. You can go down to the bottom of the trestle and adventure around the river or you can follow the flat trail for hours if you're feeling up to it. ... We recommend booking Kinsol Trestle tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Kinsol Trestle and Kinsol Bypass Trail is a 3.9 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Cowichan Valley Regional, British Columbia, Canada that features a river and is rated as moderate. The Trestle itself is an impressive structure and well worth the trip. Macomber Loom: Making Space for the Big One, February - April - Fort Frederica National Monument, St. Simons Island, Georgia, Life is uncertain and it is hard to make plans right now. The Kinsol Trestle is a highlight of the Cowichan Valley Trail, which travels from Shawnigan Lake to Lake Cowichan and then onward to Duncan. Observation decks and trails down to the riverside. The Cowichan River is one of the South Island’s signature rivers. Super easy to find! The parking lot is an easy one kilometre walk from the trestle. On foot, follow the rail bed (part of the Trans Canada Trail) to the trestle. It can be as long or as short as you want, it's fantastic for children and the elderly since its flat but also beautiful and fascinating to see the trestle. A north leg runs from Duncan roughly parallel to Hwy18 up to Cowichan Lake, then loops back towards the east coast a little south, roughly following the Cowichan River Valley. It was a nice walk for me! Went in the spring but it's even more beautiful in the summer! The campaign was launched on June 10, 2009, and the Trestle reopened to the … This trail can also be done by bike or on horse. It seemed most people were choosing this option because we saw lots of walkers but only one bike rider. I haven’t yet been from one end to the other but it is on my To Do list for sure. The trail is primarily used for hiking and walking. Swimming in the river below was nice and refreshing. Fun. Extremely easy, flat, gravel path. 2008-10-18 10:39:00 (needs rework) Contributed by: Admin Views: 577: Thursday was a special day in the Cowichan Valley. Old railway line in the cowichan valley Near Victoria. By the time we were done … Enjoy! Gorgeous views, worth seeing at least once. We drove there, parked, and walked the distance to the trestle. It’s also one of the tallest free-standing, timber rail trestles in the world. Make sure you have good boots/shoes because there's some real ankle twisters in here. Nice easy walk and lots of trails to explore, Eagle, Buck, Squirrel, and Turtle Trails Loop, Dragonfly, Cougar, Buck, and Beaver Trails Loop, Silver Mine Road to Bonanza Bluffs Recreation Site, Legion and Old Bamberton Haul Road Loop [CLOSED], Lower Lookout via Cowichan Valley and McGee Main Loop, Cobble Hill Wolf and Quarry to Buck [PRIVATE PROPERTY], Old Bamberton Haul Road and Kingzett Lake [PRIVATE PROPERTY], Cowichan Valley Trail: Shawnigan Lake to Koksilah River, Outer Quarry Lake Loop via Old Bamberton Haul Road [CLOSED / PRIVATE PROPERTY], Cowichan Valley Trail, Shawnigan Lake to Stebbings Rd, Wolf, Cougar, Beaver, and Dragonfly Trails Loop, Cobble Hill Mountain Regional Recreation Area, Cowichan Valley Regional, British Columbia. Hours Open 24/7 Phone 250/746-2620 Prices Free admission Web site Kinsol Trestle Other From Hwy. The Trestle is well looked after! Kinsol Trestle is Magnificient Review of Cowichan Valley trail Reviewed September 1, 2019 Our group traveled by car to the parking lot just north of the Kinsol Tressle and then walked the short distance to the Trestle. Incredible trail suitable for any experience level. To get e-mail updates, please enter your e-mail address below. The walk from the parking lot to the trestle is somewhat monotonous, but once you get there, the trestle itself is absolutely beautiful. There's some hilly riding, particularly on the new Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail, getting you around the busy highway 'Malahat' stretch. This section of the trail has some excellent river access points. The trail is shared with hikers and bikers and you may even pass a horse or two! Lots of parking. A small gathering of people met at the Kinsol Trestle for a major funding announcement of the Island Coastal Economic Trust,under the direction of the Honourable Ida Chong. Easy to get to, parking lot was full so had to park on the road. We saw pictures of the trestle when doing our research on the trail and knew we wanted to see it. It is a gravel trail so a road bike is not recommended. All the way is marked with information poles and panels. The trestle is easily reached via a 1.3km, wheelchair accessible section of the CVT from the trailhead on Renfew Road. Fortunately there is a Cowichan Valley Trail trailhead about a mile away from the Kinsol Trestle. After admiring the huge Douglas Fir beams, we headed back up to the top and then to the truck. I believe a new gluten free friendly bakery also opened up down the road from the hike. Kinsol Trestle Trail Recreation Site is a 2.1 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Cowichan Valley Regional, British Columbia, Canada that features a river and is good for all skill levels. Wide and relatively flat for many kilometres. to restore the Kinsol Trestle for park use 2012 marked the grand reopening of the Kinsol Trestle, which is now used as part of the Cowichan Valley Trail And what a trail it is! The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, and bird watching and is best used from March until October. Wheelchair and pram friendly. Cowichan Valley Trail (CVT) is the local name for the Trans Canada Trail (TCT), and this ride takes you through the finest extended stretch of the Trail on Vancouver Island. The Kinsol Trestle near Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island, one of the tallest and longest such structures in the world, joins three companion spans on the Cowichan Valley Trail, a recreational route that runs through the warmest year-round temperate zone in Canada, with a growing roster of local wineries to prove it. Beautiful scenery and moderately busy. Its restoration is a testament to what people can do when they are determined to save a piece of their history. The hard packed gravel is perfect for bike riding, for even the littlest of riders, and would definitely be considered stroller and wheel-chair friendly. I took the log trail and it was VERY rocky and lots of exposed roots. A good area to cycle or walk/hike and the people you meet along the way are very friendly. Highly recommend particularly for novice riders. Biggest complaint would be the amount of dog poop we came across and that people are using it as an off leash area and not cleaning up after their pets. completed in 1920. The Kinsol Trestle is a beautiful example of engineering and ingenuity. The railway was abandoned in 1979 and the bridge fell into disrepair. A must-see along the trail, the curved Kinsol Trestle spans 187 metres and is one of the tallest free-standing timber trestles worldwide. 1st Lake to Lake half marathon. I don't recommend it for kids or people with balance issues. Today this beautiful bridge is a part of the Cowichan Valley Trail because of their dedication. Fine in summer but might be hard to traverse in other seasons when rain occurs often. We really enjoyed spending a couple hours here. They have bathrooms available at the trail head. Tom and I are glad we got to see it and walk over it. Past the Glenora area, the Vancouver Island Trail (and Great Trail/TCT) heads more or less to the west along the Cowichan River on the 1913 rail grade and over several old wooden trestles such as the Holt Trestle, and eventually crosses over to the north side of the Cowichan … Tom and I walked over the bridge, admiring the curve from the side. Cycling and walking trails surround the bridge. The Kinsol Trestle is one of eight trestles along the Cowichan Valley Trail, part of the Trans-Canada Trail. Dress for the weather and be sure to bring a wind/rain jacket. The Cowichan Valley Trail is a 108 km (67.4 mile) trail with lots of access points. Fine in summer but might be hard to traverse in other seasons when rain occurs often. Lots of gorgeous scenery and plenty of starting points to change things up. But from the parking lot closest to the Kinsol Trestle, it’s an easy 1 km (0.6 mile) walk to the bridge. The Kinsol Trestle is one of eight trestles along the Cowichan Valley Trail route and by far the largest and most spectacular. Great biking trail for the whole family. It is the largest wooden trestle bridge in the British Commonwealth of Nations. The Kinsol Trestle (also known as Koksllah River Trestle) in Cowichan Valley was completed in 1920 and is one of the largest timber bridges in the world. A group of determined restorationists decided to preserve the bridge. The official "Save the Historic Kinsol Trestle Campaign" came through with the support of the Cowichan Foundation and the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD). 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