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Kinsol Trestle Trail

The Kinsol Trestle Trail is an access point on the Cowichan Valley Trail leading to the historic Kinsol Trestle, a massive wooden railway trestle spanning the Koksilah River near Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island.

The trail is open to hikers, cyclists, and equestrians, with an out-and-back route of approximately 1. 9 miles and around 249 feet of elevation gain.

Originally built in 1920 as a railway trestle and abandoned when the rail line closed in 1979, the structure was rehabilitated for recreational use and reopened in July 2011.

At 44 metres high and 188 metres long, it is one of the tallest free-standing timber trestle structures in the world and the largest wooden trestle in the Commonwealth.

The trestle crosses the salmon-bearing Koksilah River and features an unusual seven-degree curve. Access to the south end of the trestle is via Glen Eagles Road from Shawnigan Lake.


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