About this spot
A well-documented, popular alpine spot in Arapaho National Forest west of Idaho Springs, reached by a roughly 1 to 1.5 mile hike with some light scrambling from a parking area near the St. Mary's exit off I-70. The trail passes St. Mary's Lake before reaching the permanent snowfield/glacier above it. A commonly cited jump is about 32 feet into roughly 15 feet of water; depth shifts with runoff and season. The water is glacial melt and stays extremely cold year-round, making cold shock and hypothermia the main hazards, along with slippery granite near the snowfield's edge. The area sits above 10,400 feet, so altitude and fast-changing mountain weather are added considerations. No formal jumping ban is documented.
Safety first. Cliff jumping is inherently dangerous and can cause serious injury or death. Conditions — water depth, submerged hazards, and access — change constantly. CliffScout is community-sourced reference information, not a guarantee a spot is safe. Always assess the conditions yourself before jumping, and never jump where you're unsure. You assume all risk.
Watch & read
- ▶ Watch — Saint Mary's Glacier, CO. Cliff Jumping. - YouTube
- ▶ Watch — St. Mary's Glacier cliff jumping - YouTube
- ▶ Watch — Cliff jumping at Saint Mary’s Glacier lake, CO - YouTube
- ▶ Watch — Cliff jumping Saint Mary’s glacier #cliffjump #colorado #jump
- ♪ TikTok — Saint Marys Glacier Cliff Jump | TikTok
- ♪ TikTok — St Marys Glacier Jump | TikTok
- ♪ TikTok — Denver St Mary Glacier | TikTok
- ♪ TikTok — Hike by Idaho Springs St Marys Glacier | TikTok
- ◉ Instagram — Pre show hike with the fam at Saint Mary’s Glacier. | Instagram
- ▶ Watch — Saint Mary’s Glacier — cliff jump video
- ↗ Read — Saint Mary’s Glacier — guide & info