The town lays by the Elz River, in the south-western part of the Black Forest. The neighbouring municipalities in the Elz valley are Freiamt, Gutach im Breisgau and Simonswald, in the south-eastern branch of the Simonswälder valley. The district is bordered by Sankt Peter, Glottertal, Denzlingen and Sexau. Waldkirch is located directly at the foot of the Kandel mountain, which is 1241 m high. The lowest point of Waldkirch is 243 m high, the difference in altitude in the district is 998 m.