You've been there. You're barreling down the Del Perro Freeway in a customized T20, you hit a ramp at 120 miles per hour, soar through the air like a majestic metal bird, land perfectly on all four wheels, and then... nothing. "Stunt Jump Failed." It's one of the most tilting experiences in Grand Theft Auto V.
Getting all 50 GTA V stunt jump locations checked off your list isn't just about speed. It’s about precision, physics, and sometimes, a massive amount of luck with the game's ragdoll engine. Honestly, most people fail these because they go too fast. It sounds counterintuitive for a game called Grand Theft Auto, but overshooting the landing zone is the number one reason that "Failed" message pops up on your screen.
Whether you’re chasing that 100% completion trophy or the "Show Off" achievement, you need to know exactly where to aim. The map is huge. Los Santos and Blaine County are littered with these hidden ramps, some obvious and some that look like literal garbage piles.
The Los Santos City Grind
The city is dense. You'll find a huge cluster of jumps near the Port of South Los Santos and the Los Santos International Airport. These are usually the easiest to start with because the terrain is flat.
Take the airport, for example. There are three specific jumps right near the entrance. You’re looking for those circular, "architectural" trash can ramps. If you hit those at a moderate clip—not top speed, mind you—you’ll clear the security gates and land on the tarmac. Easy. But then there’s the one at the construction site in Little Seoul. That one is a nightmare. You have to drive up a series of ramps and jump through a literal hole in a building. If your bumper clips the edge even slightly, the game counts it as a "collision" and fails you.
Why Landing Matters More Than Distance
Here is the secret: the game tracks the landing zone, not the air time. Each of the GTA V stunt jump locations has a specific "invisible box" on the ground. You have to land inside it. If you land on two wheels and then tip over? Fail. If you hit a pedestrian upon landing? Usually a fail.
You want to use Franklin for this. Seriously. His special ability—the driving slowdown—is basically a cheat code for stunt jumps. You can trigger it mid-air to level out your car. It gives you total control over the pitch and roll. If you’re playing as Michael or Trevor, you’re just praying to the physics gods that the car doesn't nose-dive.
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Venturing Into Blaine County
Once you leave the city, things get weirder. The jumps in the north are often natural rock formations or broken bridges.
The jump at the Raton Canyon bridge is legendary for being a pain. You’re aiming for a tiny ledge across a massive gap. If you miss, your car is at the bottom of a river, and you're spawning back at a hospital. It’s annoying. I’ve found that motorcycles are actually better for the rural GTA V stunt jump locations. A Bati 801 or a PCJ 600 gives you much better air control than a bulky muscle car. You can lean back to gain air or lean forward to dive. Plus, they’re narrower, making it easier to hit small targets.
The Paleto Bay Bridge Jump
Up at the very top of the map, there’s a jump involving a broken bridge near the coastline. It looks simple. It isn't. The trick here is to avoid hitting the water. If your tires even graze the Pacific, the jump is void.
- Vehicle Choice: Use a Pegassi Bati 801 for the tight ones.
- The "Slow" Strategy: Many jumps only require a 40-foot gap. Don't floor it.
- Quick Saves: This is vital. Before you attempt a jump, pull out your in-game phone and use the Quick Save feature. If you wreck your rare car or fail the jump, just reload. It saves hours of driving back to the start point.
Hidden Jumps Most People Miss
There’s a jump in the Port of Los Santos that involves a trailer ramp tucked behind some shipping containers. It’s almost invisible from the main road. Most players drive past it a hundred times during the campaign without ever noticing it.
Then there’s the one inside the Bolingbroke Penitentiary. Yeah, the prison. You have to jump into the prison. This immediately triggers a four-star wanted level. You hit a cliff side to the south, fly over the fence, land in the yard, and then immediately have to survive a hail of gunfire from the guards. It’s chaotic. It’s peak GTA.
The Lighthouse Jump
The Mount Gordo lighthouse jump is arguably the most scenic. You’re launching off a cliff toward a tiny island. It’s beautiful, but the landing area is incredibly cramped. If you have too much momentum, you’ll skip right off the island and into the ocean. Use a car with good braking—something like a Zentorno or an Adder—so you can "bite" into the dirt the moment you touch down.
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Common Misconceptions About Stunt Jumps
People think you need a fully modded supercar for every jump. That’s just wrong. In fact, some of the lower-speed jumps are impossible with a fully upgraded engine because you’ll fly right over the landing zone.
I’ve seen people spend hours trying to get the jump at the Los Santos Golf Club because they keep hitting the trees. The trick there isn't speed; it's the angle of approach. You have to come at it from a slight diagonal. The game is finicky about the "angle of attack."
Tracking Your Progress
The worst part about the GTA V stunt jump locations is the lack of an in-game checklist. The game tells you "14 of 50 completed," but it won't tell you which 14.
Unless you're a savant, you need to track this manually. Cross them off a map as you go. If you’re playing on PC, there are mods that can show you, but on console, you’re stuck with the old-fashioned way. Pen and paper. Or a digital map on your phone. If you hit a jump and it says "Stunt Jump Completed" but it doesn't count toward your total, it means you've already done that one in a previous session.
Technical Glitches to Watch Out For
Sometimes, the game just bugs out. I've had instances where I landed a jump perfectly—smooth, four wheels, no damage—and it still said "Failed." Usually, this happens if the game thinks you "cheated" the trajectory. To avoid this, make sure you hit the ramp as straight as possible. Don't try to be fancy with mid-air spins unless you're just doing it for fun. For the completion stat, keep it boring. Keep it straight.
Breaking Down the Hardest Jumps
The "Vinewood Hills" jumps are notoriously frustrating due to the uneven terrain. You're jumping over suburban fences and landing in people's backyards. The problem? Pool covers. If you land on a pool cover, the physics engine treats it like a soft surface, and you'll often flip.
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Then you have the La Brasa jump in El Burro Heights. It’s a dirt ramp that sends you over a small building. The landing area is an alleyway. If you’re off by even a few inches, you’ll slam into a brick wall. This is another one where the motorcycle shines.
The Strategy for 100% Completion
If you're going for the trophy, do all 50 in one go. Don't spread it out over a week. Grab a fast bike, start at the airport, and work your way clockwise around the map. It takes about two to three hours if you know where you’re going.
- Start at the Airport (8 jumps).
- Move to the Docks (8 jumps).
- Hit the Downtown core (around 10 jumps).
- Head East to the oil fields and El Burro Heights.
- Go North through the desert toward Paleto Bay.
- Come back down the western highway through the hills.
By following a circuit, you reduce the chance of missing one and having to backtrack through the entire map later.
Actionable Tips for Mastery
To finish these once and for all, stop treating them like races. Treat them like puzzles. Look at the ramp, look at the landing area, and estimate the speed.
If you're struggling with a specific location, change your vehicle. Some jumps are designed for the high ground clearance of an SUV like the Sandking, while others require the slim profile of a sports bike. And remember, Franklin’s ability isn't just for corners. Use it the second your wheels leave the ramp to adjust your car’s orientation. This is the single most effective way to ensure a "Successful" notification.
Once you’ve nailed the final jump, the "Show Off" achievement will pop, and you’ll be one step closer to that elusive 100% save file. Now you just have to deal with those pesky Under the Bridge challenges.