Riding from Humpback Reservoir to the Kinsol Trestle: A Vancouver Island Biking Adventure

The ride from Humpback Reservoir in Goldstream, BC, to the Kinsol Trestle, near Shawnigan Lake, covers roughly 34.5  kilometres along the Trans Canada Trail (also known as The Great Trail). The trail follows the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail, the Cowichan Valley Trail’s Malahat Connector and a rail trail section of the Cowichan Valley trail, before arriving at the trestle itself. Standing 44 metres above the Koksilah River, this century-old wooden railway bridge curves gracefully across the valley, a monument to the age of steam that has found new life as part of the Trans Canada Trail.

The Kinsol Trestle

This is a bike ride I have wanted to do for some time, but I was a little concerned about doing it with my old folding, fat tire ebike. The combination of distance, some very steep hills  and some loose gravel make this ride a proper adventure and my old ebike was not really suitable. It was very heavy, difficult to pedal without using power and its gearing for steep hills sucked. I wrote about Riding the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail section with this bike in a previous post and I was barely able to get that beast up the first big hill.  With the purchase of a new electric mountain bike I now have a much lighter, more capable bike, certainly more up to the challenge.

However, even though the Kinsol Trestle is one of those rare destinations that justifies every pedal stroke it takes to reach it, it certainly is not a leisurely Sunday cruise. Even with the electric assist on my new bike, I was thoroughly challenged! And keep in mind, unless you have arranged for someone to pick you up at the other end, you have to ride back!

Experienced riders or ebike riders can complete the one-way trip in a few hours, but you’ll want to budget extra time for the views, the photos, and the inevitable moments when may be pushing your bike up a particularly stubborn hill if you don’t have electric assist. If you plan to ride both ways, be prepared with lots of water, snacks and some hard work. In the end though, there is a real sense of accomplishment when the trestle finally comes into view and even more so when you glide back into the parking lot at the Humpback Reservoir!

Starting Point: The Humpback Reservoir

The Humpback Reservoir sits within the Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park near Goldstream, and is a perfect place to start the ride. There is a free parking lot at the reservoir right in front of the dam. There is a pit toilet at the parking lot – a useful amenity before you set off.

The Humpback Reservoir dam was originally built in 1913 as part of the City of Victoria’s drinking water supply, so is an historic site in it’s own right and if you’re not in a hurry to get started a quick look around can be quite interesting. The reservoir is no longer part of the Victoria water supply.

Leaving from the reservoir parking lot, the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail heads northwest, for about 13 kilometres before crossing into the Cowichan Valley Regional District. This section of the ride quickly reveals the character of the ride: hilly terrain, sections of soft gravel, and a landscape that feels genuinely wild despite being so close to Victoria.

Humback Reservoir

The Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail

The trail from the dam runs flat past the reservoir for a couple of hundred metres then climbs and twists through a forested section, before dropping down and joining  the E&N rail line for a short distance. It is here, about 2.5 kilometres from the trailhead, that the viewing platform for Waugh Creek Falls sits. In winter and spring, the falls flow forcefully, making this a worthwhile early stop to catch your breath and take in the scenery. In the summer it is hardly a trickle and likely wouldn’tbe noticed it if it weren’t for the sign.

The first section of Sooke Hills Wilderness Park Trail is a fun twisting, up and down ride

Waugh Creek Falls viewing platform – not much to see in the summer

Waugh Creek Falls – in the winter

A short distance after Waugh Creek Falls, you will cross the Niagara Main Rd and will quickly  come upon a narrow suspension bridge crossing the Goldstream River. This is certainly another worthy spot to stop and enjoy the views and take some photos. This why you need to schedule the whole day for this trip!

Goldstream River suspension bridge

Goldstream River suspension bridge

A short distance past the bridge you will exit the narrow single track trail and start on a gravel road. The road immediately begins a very steep and continuous climb. It is at this point, with my not quite warmed up legs complaining bitterly, I was having serious second thoughts. However, after a kilometer or so the extreme steepness begins to subside, the legs begin to warm and my outlook becomes more optimistic. None the less, it is still a steady uphill grind to the north park boundary through second growth forest.

The first steep uphill of the Sooke Hills Wilderness Park Trail -it’s steeper than it looks!

Sooke Hills Wilderness Park Trail gradually climbs from the initial steep section through 2nd growth forest

In case you didn’t avail yourself of the outhouse at the Humback parking area, about six kilometres in, you’ll find another outhouse—a welcome sight if you had too much coffee that morning!

Entering the  Cowichan Valley Trail

About 9 kms from the Humpback Reservoir you will arrive at the Sooke Hills Wilderness Park’s north gate. Here you will find a kiosk with some basic information on the park and a map. Continuing through the gate you will exit the park and cross onto private land and onto the Cowichan Valley Trail’s Malahat Connector. This 2.5 km section of the trail connects the Sooke Hills Regional Park Trail with the Cowichan Valley Trail.

The North Gate Kiosk

This section remains challenging, with some very steep hills and loose gravel. However, overall the quality of the trail is good. The trail exits onto Trail Way, a paved street, followed shortly by a left turn onto Goldstream Heights Dr. This short 1 km section of road will connect you with the Cowichan Valley Trail at the junction of Finlayson View Plc. Here you will cross over from the Capital Regional District into the Cowichan Valley Regional District.

Warning signs on the Malahat Connector -steep downhill that become steep uphill on the return trip

View east from the Malahat Connector section of the Cowichan Valley Trail

Once you are on the Cowichan Valley Trail there are 4.5 kms of rather continuous and sometimes steep, downhill sections before you cross Stebbings Rd into the Stebbings Rd Trailhead parking area. This whole downhill connection reminds me of an old saying we used during my hiking days with the Boy Scouts in Philmount Scout Ranch in New Mexico. “For every downhill, there is an uphill“ and I was acutely aware of this fact as I continued my decent.

Trail sign near the start of the Cowichan Valley Trail

Steep switchbacks near the beginning Cowichan Valley Trail

From the Stebbings Road Parking area the trail continues to plunge downhill onto Malahat First Nations land. After a kilometer it brings you to the Shawnigan Creek bridge and the beautiful ‘Yos’ totem pole. Be sure to stop for a look and make sure you check both sides of the pole, I actually missed this on the way out!

I have to say, at this point in the ride, with all the steep downhill riding from the North Gate, I was becoming seriously concerned about getting back, especially if I ran out of battery power! I was riding at my most economical power settings while riding uphill and turning off the power all together where it was flat or downhill. At this point in the ride I had maintained around 68% of my charge. Would it be enough to get back up all of those hills?

Shawnigan Creek Bridge and the ‘Yos’ totem pole

‘Yos’ totem pole.

The reverse side of ‘Yos’ totem pole.

Once you are across the Shawnigan Creek bridge prepare for even more downhill fun. After about 2.5 km the trail rises a short distance to meet the Shawnigan Lake Forestry Service Rd. A right turn onto this short section of gravel road takes you to Sooke Lake Rd where a left turn and a very short section up the hill will connect you with the rail trail portion of the Cowichan Valley Trail. There is another informational kiosk and outhouses located here.

From here it is a relatively flat 13 kms to the Kinsol Trestle through forest and rural properties along the west shore of Shawnigan Lake. Most of this sections of trail has been upgraded with packed fine gravel, which makes for easy riding… thank god! I was able to turn my power off for this entire section which was now at 65%, conserving my precious power supply.

Prepare to see some wildlife on this ride. I had seen a fair bit of bear scat along the trail and a few kilometers along this section a large healthy black bear crossed the trail about 100 feet in front of me. He charged off into the trees but stopped at the edge of the forest to have a look back at me before letting off a big huff and wandered off.

Cowichan Valley Trail Kiosk at the start of the rail trail section

Views of Shawnigan Lake from the trail

The rail trail portion of Cowichan Valley Trail

Arriving at the Kinsol Trestle

Your first clue that you are getting close to the Kinsol Trestle is the parking area, about 1.3 km from the trestle itself. There are outhouses here if a break is required. Because of its popularity, there are a lot of pedestrians along this stretch of trail. The path here is good and wide, but a little more caution is certainly required. When the trestle finally comes into view, it is a genuinely impressive sight. At 187 metres long and 44 metres high, it’s one of the largest and most spectacular timber trestles of its kind in the world.

Kinsol Trestle Parking Area

The Kinsol Trestle

The trestle, which spans the Koksilah River, has a interesting history. It was built between 1911 and 1920 to transport timber and was  sadly abandoned when the railway closed in 1979. After years of deterioration, including a deliberately set fire, a major restoration project reopened it to pedestrians and cyclists in 2011.

Kinsol Trestle

The Kinsol Trestle

The Kinsol Trestle is the largest of eight bridges along the Cowichan Valley Trail, and its gentle 7-degree curve gives it an elegant, almost sculptural quality. The viewing platforms at either end are perfect for photos, and there are benches and picnic areas if you’ve packed a lunch, which of course I did!

Lunch at the Kinsol Trestle

The viewing platform is a great place for selfies!

For those who want to extend the adventure, the trail continues beyond the trestle eventually reaching Lake Cowichan about 69 kilometres from the Humpback Reservoir. I am planning a separate ride from the Kinsol Trestel to at least Skutz Falls on the Cowichan River on another day!

Practical Considerations

Best bike for the job: A gravel bike or mountain bike is ideal. The route includes sections of loose gravel, and the trail can be soft in places. Road bikes with thin tires will find the going uncomfortable. If you’re not a serious cyclist and not in good shape, I think an ebike is essential, especially if you’re planning to ride both ways in the same day.

Fitness level: This is a moderate-to-hard ride. The elevation gain is significant, particularly first part of the Sooke Hills section and coming back up from the Shawnigan Lake Service Rd to the north gate. Other riders report having to hike a few hills, so don’t be discouraged if you have to do the same.

Water and supplies: There is no easily accessible water along the trail as far as I could tell. Bring more than you think you need, especially in warmer months. I had an ebike, but I was still working hard on this ride and it was a warm day. Bring lots of snacks and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Trail conditions: Most of the trail is very well maintained and sections are being upgraded all the time. 

Time of year: The trail can be ridden all year round, but conditions could change as you gain elevation if you’re riding in the winter. Waugh Creek falls is best observed in the winter and spring.

The Ride Back (or Not)

You have options for the return journey. The simplest is to retrace your route back to Humpback Reservoir, making it roughly a 69 km round trip. Alternatively, you can arrange a shuttle with a willing friend and make it a one way trip. I chose to ride both ways because the ebike made it possible for me, however it still took some serious effort. Some of the hills are steep, up to a 16% grade and I was carrying a fair bit of weight in camera gear, so the battery life gets consumed pretty quickly.

Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail – the final long, steep downhill

Logically my plan was to have 50% power left once I got to the Kinsol Trestle. After riding so much downhill from the Sooke Hills Wilderness Park’s north gate I was really concerned I would need more than that for the return trip. Choosing to ride the 26 kms (13 each way) on the rail trail portion of the Cowichan Valley Trail gave me a more comfortable buffer for the trip back. I have to say though, portions of the 13 km stretch back from the trestle run slightly uphill and slowed me down. It was doable but at times it seemed an interminable grind! However, by the time I was ready to start the hill climbing from the Shawnigan Lake Forest Service Rd I had 65% power left in my battery, an extra 15% from my original thoughts. This allowed me to use extra power boost on the really steep, long hills, which allowed me to climb them much faster. For any one who understands what grinding up long hills is like, being able to move faster and finish them quicker is a godsend…that is what electric assist can do for you.

Almost back – near Waugh Creek Falls where the trail meets the E&N rail line

In the end, I finished the ride with 16% of my power remaining, so my original thought of using 50% each way may have worked but it would have left no margin for error. In the end I was glad that I had conserved that extra 15%. It gave me a more comfortable buffer and some peace of mind, because I know that without the electric assist, I would have definitely been pushing my bike up some of those hills.

Final Thoughts

The ride from Humpback Reservoir to the Kinsol Trestle is a quintessential Vancouver Island cycling experience. It combines challenging terrain, beautiful wilderness, and a remarkable piece of engineering history. The trestle isn’t just a photo opportunity—it’s a tangible connection to the region’s railway past and a testament to what thoughtful restoration can achieve.

Go prepared, go with good tires, and give yourself permission to take it slow. I stopped lots to take photos and enjoy the trip and give my aging body a chance to recover from the uphill grinds. The trestle isn’t going anywhere.

Time Taken: