You're barreling down the Del Perro Freeway at 120 mph in a Pegassi Zentorno, the engine screaming behind your head, and suddenly you see it. That little yellow ramp. Or maybe it's a pile of dirt. In Los Santos, almost anything can be a launchpad if you're brave—or bored—enough. But here’s the thing: hitting those stunt jump locations on GTA 5 isn't just about the adrenaline. It’s a grind. If you’re going for that 100% completion trophy or just trying to flex on your friends in GTA Online, you have to land 50 of these things.
Landing them is the hard part. You can fly 300 feet through the air, do a triple backflip, and stick the landing on all four wheels, only for the game to coldly tell you "Stunt Jump Failed." It's frustrating. Honestly, it's enough to make you want to throw your controller out the window. Most players fail because they don't realize the game doesn't care about your style; it cares about your landing zone.
Why Some Stunt Jumps Feel Literally Impossible
The physics in Rockstar’s RAGE engine are... quirky. You’ve probably noticed that when you’re mid-air, you can actually tilt your car. That’s not just for show. To "complete" a jump, you usually need to land in a very specific, invisible "landing box" designated by the developers. If you overshot it because you were going too fast? Fail. If you clipped a light pole on the way down? Fail.
Most people think the faster the car, the better the jump. That’s a lie. Using a fully modded Adder for a jump that requires a precise landing in a narrow alleyway is a recipe for disaster. You’ll just bounce off a wall. For many of the stunt jump locations on GTA 5 found in the dense downtown area, a mid-range sports car or even a heavy bike like the Bati 801 is actually the superior choice. Bikes give you more air-control. You can lean back to gain distance or push forward to nose-down into a tight spot.
The Infamous Lighthouse Jump
Take the Cape Catfish Lighthouse jump. It’s tucked away on the northeast edge of the map. It's beautiful, scenic, and a total nightmare. You have to jump from a cliffside path over a portion of the ocean and land right at the base of the lighthouse. If you go too fast, you end up in the drink. If you go too slow, you hit the rocks.
I’ve seen people try this fifty times in a row. The trick? Use a bike. It’s easier to thread the needle between the rocks. Also, Franklin’s special ability is basically a cheat code here. If you're playing in single-player, pop his slow-mo driving ability right before you hit the ramp. It stabilizes the car’s trajectory and makes sure you don't veer off at the last second.
Navigating the Urban Jungle: Los Santos Proper
The city is dense with these things. You’ll find them on top of parking garages, under overpasses, and hidden in construction sites. The "Underpass" jump near Strawberry is a classic example of "less is more." You're jumping off a broken railing onto the freeway below. If you hit it at top speed, you’ll fly across all eight lanes of traffic and smash into a building. You actually need to brake slightly before hitting the ramp.
Here are some of the most notable clusters you'll run into:
The Port of South Los Santos
This area is a goldmine. There are about eight jumps concentrated around the docks. Most involve jumping over water or between warehouse roofs. Watch out for the one involving the circular trailer—it's slippery. If your tires aren't centered, you'll spin out before you even leave the ground.
Rockford Hills and Vinewood
These are "rich people jumps." Think luxury balconies and manicured hedges. There’s one jump through a literal hole in a building's second story. It’s tight. You need a car with good suspension because the landing is often a steep drop onto a lower street.
The Los Santos Storm Drain
The concrete river isn't just for movie car chases. There are several jumps here that require you to fly over the bridges. These are usually the easiest because the landing area is wide open. If you’re just starting your hunt for stunt jump locations on GTA 5, start here to build your confidence.
The Secret to the "Stunt Jump Completed" Notification
It’s all about the "Big Four" wheels. To get the "Completed" message, you must land on all four wheels simultaneously. Or, if you're on a bike, both wheels. If you land on your front bumper and then flip onto your wheels, the game marks it as a failure.
Physics manipulation is your friend. While in the air, use the left analog stick (or your WASD keys) to level the vehicle.
- Left/Right: Controls the roll.
- Up/Down: Controls the pitch (nose up or down).
If you’re struggling with a specific jump, try changing your camera angle. The "cinematic" camera that triggers during a stunt jump looks cool, but it’s terrible for landing. You can actually toggle this off in the settings or just hold the "look back" button to force a regular perspective. It helps a ton when you're trying to see exactly where your tires are going to hit the asphalt.
Don't Ignore the Paleto Bay Jumps
Most players stay in the city, but the rural jumps are some of the most technical. There’s a jump over the Great Ocean Highway near Paleto Bay that involves a broken bridge. It looks simple. It isn't. The wind coming off the ocean (yes, the game simulates some of this) can actually buff your car slightly to the left.
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And let's talk about the jumping at the Bolingbroke Penitentiary. Trying to jump into the prison is a death wish if you aren't prepared for a four-star wanted level immediately. But it’s one of the most iconic stunt jump locations on GTA 5. If you're going for it, make sure you have a fast car and a plan to get out, because the guards don't take kindly to "stunt pilots" landing in the exercise yard.
Strategic Tips for Completionists
If you’re doing this for the "A Lot of Cheddar" achievement or just the 100% checkmark, do yourself a favor and keep a checklist. The game tells you how many jumps you have left, but it doesn't tell you which ones you’ve finished. There is nothing worse than having 49/50 jumps and having no clue which one you missed.
- Quick Save is your best friend. In single-player, pull up your phone and use the Quick Save feature right before you attempt a jump. If you wreck your car or die, just reload. It saves you the trip to the impound lot or the hospital.
- Use the Bati 801. It’s cheap, it’s fast, and it’s the most agile vehicle for stunts. You can buy it on the in-game website for a pittance.
- Repair on the fly. In GTA Online, if your car is smoking, you can use the interaction menu to request a new one or use a Repair Kit if you’re in a specialized vehicle. In single-player, switching characters and switching back often repairs the car instantly.
- The Landing Zone. Always look for the tire marks. Often, Rockstar left subtle "burnt rubber" marks on the ground where they expect you to land. Use those as your target.
The Frustration is Part of the Fun
Honestly, these jumps are a relic of an older era of game design. They’re meant to be a bit "janky." They’re meant to make you swear at your screen. But there’s a real sense of satisfaction when the slow-motion kicks in, the camera pans back, and you hear that "ding" of a successful completion.
Whether you're hitting the ramps at the Los Santos International Airport—watch out for the luggage carriers, they will ruin your line—or soaring over the construction site in Little Seoul, each jump is a tiny puzzle. It’s not just about speed; it’s about geometry and timing.
To wrap this up and get you moving, the best way to tackle this is to divide the map into quadrants. Don't drive back and forth across San Andreas. Start at the very bottom of the docks and work your way up. By the time you hit the jumps in the Grand Senora Desert, you’ll have the air-control physics down to a science.
Next Steps for Your Stunt Run:
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- Identify Your Vehicle: Grab a Bati 801 for tight urban jumps and a Sultan RS or similar AWD car for the dirt-path jumps in Blaine County.
- Manual Tracking: Open an interactive map on a second screen and manually cross off each jump as you see the "Completed" text appear.
- Safety First: In single-player, always play as Franklin for his "Driving Focus" ability. It turns a "Failed" into a "Completed" about 80% of the time by allowing for mid-air micro-adjustments.
- Armor Up: If you're doing this in GTA Online, use an armored Kuruma if you're jumping in "hostile" territory (like the gang areas in South Central) to avoid getting picked off by NPCs while you're lining up your shot.
Get out there and start hitting those ramps. Just remember to keep your nose up and your tires straight. Los Santos is a big playground, and those 50 jumps aren't going to land themselves.