Bell Gorge is one of the best-known swimming holes of the Kimberley, a series of falls tumbling over red sandstone into a deep green pool in the King Leopold Ranges in the north of Western Australia. It sits well off the Gibb River Road, reached by a rough track of around thirty kilometres from the main road to the Silent Grove campground, and then a walk of about a kilometre or so over rocks to the top of the falls. The dry season, roughly May to October, is the only time you can sensibly get here; in the wet, the road is cut by floods and closed.
The Gibb River Road itself runs about 660 kilometres from Derby to Kununurra and was first built to move cattle from the stations to the coast. Most of it is unsealed. Expect gravel with corrugations that can shake loose a loosely packed bike, patches of bulldust, rocky creek crossings and stretches of rough surface that deserve respect. Many riders on heavy touring bikes find it hard going, and lighter dual-sports cope better. Carry water, tools, spare tubes and a way to call for help, because phone coverage is almost nil, and passing traffic can be hours apart.
The land belongs to Aboriginal peoples, including the Bunuba, Wunambal and Ngarinyin, whose rock art with the Wandjina figures is found throughout this part of the Kimberley, and some sites are not open to casual visitors. Respect signage and fees. Around the gorge the country is savanna woodland with boab trees, spinifex on the stony slopes and pandanus along the creek lines. Freshwater crocodiles live in the Kimberley's pools, and the local ranger information tells you where swimming is safe.
Fuel is the deciding factor. Supplies are available at only a few roadhouses and stores along the Gibb River Road, such as Imintji and Mount Barnett, and a prudent rider carries extra and confirms availability before leaving Derby or Kununurra. Heat is intense by midday, so start early, and keep cool in the pool afterwards.