Kinsol Trestle
Markus looking at the beautiful wooden structures of the Kinsol Trestle in British Columbia
About the Kinsol Trestle
Type: Trail
Length: 3.4 km
Traffic: Low to Moderate
Route Type: Out & Back
Markus smiling on the top of the Kinsol Trestle in British Columbia
While we were recently staying at Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island, we did a walk to experience a man-made structure known as the Kinsol Trestle. I'm embarrassed to say that prior to looking this up, I didn’t know what a trestle was, so I was excited to see one in person - especially one that's known to be one of the highest railway trestles in the world. Not having been used since the late 70's, the Kinsol Trestle has since been preserved and repurposed into a bridge used by walkers and cyclists (and apparently horseback riders) to cross the Koksilah River today.
This will be a quick update since the walk is fairly straightforward, but we liked it so much that we still wanted to share it with you. When you arrive at the beginning of the trail, there is a large parking lot and picnic tables in the area. From here, there is really only one path and it goes straight towards the Kinsol Trestle about 15 minutes down. The walk is flat the entire way with plenty of grass along the sides for dogs. It’s not the most exciting walk, but what’s waiting for you at the end makes it worth it.
Since the trestle underwent preservation and rehabilitation, it is very well-maintained with guard rails along the sides (which is great because some of the other trestles don't) so it is safe for pedestrians, cyclists and dogs. The trestle has lookouts carved into the sides where you can stop for photos or look down at the Koksilah River. Once you've gotten to the other side, there are also paths that'll take you down towards the mid-point or bottom area of the trestle where there are picnic tables and a great spot for you to really appreciate the stunning wooden structures that make up the trestle. The trail actually keeps going if you needed a longer walk, but this is where we turned around and headed back.
What we liked
The Kinsol Trestle is very impressive to see and walk on.
It's well-maintained and looks almost newly built.
It's neat that you can go down and underneath the trestle.
What we didn’t like
Nothing, really. It's not the traditional hiking type of trail and it's more a casual walk to get to the trestle, but it was enough for us.
Our Recommendation for Reactive Dogs
We came across a few dogs while we were doing this walk, but the paths are very wide so there were no concerns when the dogs were passing since they were mostly on-leash. Along the way, there were also some large fields and farm-like areas with dogs that we barking at people passing by, but they’re harmless since they’re way off into the distance. If you're looking for a casual walk to do with your dog that's roughly an hour, we would recommend checking out the Kinsol Trestle because it is a decent walk for your dog, but its structures and being to walk on top of it is quite fascinating.
Disclaimer
Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.
Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.
