The ruins of Schelklingen Castle are located on a mountain spur that reaches far into the Schelklingen Valley formed by the Urdonau on its western side. On its other side it is bordered by the deeply incised Längental.

In the east and west the spur falls steeply into the valley, in the south it descends to the town of Schelklingen, before which it ends in a rocky chasm. The tower of the castle ruins (621.5 m above sea level) is on the highest point of the spur, but both are clearly towered over to the north by the Albhöhe.

From the Schelklinger castle tower there is no view over the Alb or over the Hochsträß to Upper Swabia, but there is a remarkable view of the Schelklinger valley with its side valleys.