The Röthenbach arises almost two kilometers northeast of Altdorf near Nuremberg in the Fürstenschlag forest area and runs west from here. After about half a kilometer it leaves the forest at a golf practice area and soon takes in a small tributary from the outskirts of Altdorf from the left, divides the Ziegelhütte part of the community and then crosses the larger Röthenbach part of the community near Altdorf to the western edge of the town, where it then bends to the northwest . Still on the outskirts, it enters the large Winkelhaid state forest and first passes through the small Rumpelbach gorge, also known as Röthenbachklamm. After the valley has widened again, it is crossed by the A 6, after which the valley and stream run westwards again. The Röthenbach feeds a small chain of ponds in the closed forest, after which the corridor around the Winkelhaider district of Ungelstetten opens up to the right of the course, which the small river touches in the south, and then bends to the northwest along its outskirts and re-enters the Winkelhaid state forest .
In some places the stream invites you to cool your feet