The Saalbach flows through the upper 10 km of the valley , whose largest headstream, the Schwarzenbach, rises at about 1800 m above sea level between the Geißstein, the Tristkogel and the Spieleckkogel mountains. After uniting with several streams and the white waters of the Voglalpgraben it flows as the Saalbach through the Hinterglemm (Hinterglemm valley), from where several summer and winter routes head north leading to the Saalach Valley Ridgeway (Saalachtaler Höhenweg) and south to the Pinzgau Ridgeway (Pinzgauer Höhenweg). Near the confluence of the Schwarzachengraben lie several scattered settlements and, on the southern valley floor is the Karl Renner Haus belonging to the Friends of Nature.