This hike begins at the historic Kinsol Trestle, named after the nearby King Solomon Copper Mine. This former railway trestle was abandoned in 1979, having carried lumber out of the Cowichan Valley since 1920. Towering 615 feet (187.5 metres) tall, the Kinsol Trestle is the highest standing wooden railway trestle in Canada. You will be following a well-worn footpath through the forest, the trail used to bypass the trestle during its restoration. Walk along the banks of the Koksilah (coke-sy-la) River, named after one of seven key villages of the Cowichan Tribes. At the halfway point, you will come to another historic river crossing. The first bridge at this location, built in 1865, was erected to access a silver mine owned by W. A. Robertson. The first bridge was destroyed in a large forest fire. This river crossing has since been known simply as Burnt Bridge. You will return to the Kinsol Trestle along the opposite shore of the Koksilah River. This shady forest trail offers many views of the river as well as the opportunity to reflect on the diverse history of the area.
All the Island Spirit Legacy Caches are within a 2 steps of the trail, unless otherwise noted. There is no need to bushwack or trample the vegetation.
Shooting Stars
Dodecatheon, better known as Shooting Stars, is a low leafed native plant that produces one or more stalks, each with 6 or more dangling flowers. The fragrant flowers, with either white, light pink or rosy pink petals that face downward and converge on a yellow tube like base, resemble shooting stars. The plant prefers full or partial sun and moist to dry soil. It also likes slopes so it won't have to compete with larger or more agressive plants. Shooting Stars flower from mid April to mid May and lay dormant in the summer.