Kinsol Trestle

In 1911, the Canadian National Pacific Railway dedicated a line on Vancouver Island to connect Victoria to Nootka Sound.  By 1918, only 6 km of track had been laid. The Federal government took over the line as part of the Candadian National Railway (CNR) and work continued. The steel was finally laid in April 1920. The completed trestle, at 187.6 m long and 38 m high, is believed to be the largest Howe truss, bent pile trestle left in the world. The CN line passed through the Cowichan Valley which was a bonus for the local logging industry, but it never reached Nootka Sound.  CN abandoned the line after the last train crossed the trestle in June 1979. The rails were removed in 1983. Due to years of neglect and vandalism, access to the trestle was blocked for public safety. This large wooden structure is awe-inspiring. As early as the 1980’s, advocates of the trestle tried to have it restored and/or designated as a heritage structure. Persistence paid off. Now completely rehabilitated, and accessible to the public, the Kinsol Trestle is proving to be one of the most exciting portions of the entire Trans Canada Trail network.