The river's source is the Eastern Ore Mountains near Altenberg at a height of about 787 metres.

It drops through a height of 606 metres as it heads north-west, running through Schmiedeberg, the district town of Dippoldiswalde and ending in Freital where it forms the Weißeritz together with the longer tributary of the Wild Weißeritz.

The Weisseritz railway runs through the Weißeritz valley up to Kipsdorf [de] (a district of Altenberg), climbing about 350 metres in height.

The B 170 federal road follows the river bank between Dippoldiswalde and Waldbärenburg where it leaves the valley, climbing through three hairpin turns.

[2] Housing and especially road infrastructure and the Weisseritz railway was destroyed or damaged over a wide area.