Locally known as Hawk Woods, this 106-acre preserve lies outside the city of Athens. The dense canopy of trees includes massive tulip poplar and oaks, some as large as 30 inches in diameter. An oak-hickory forest is present on the upper slopes of the younger, southern section of the preserve.

• Old-growth forest remnant
• Unimproved site

The preserve was sold for less than the appraised value by Riddle Forest Products. The preserve stands as a memorial to the late founder of the company, Dale Riddle, and his wife Jackie.

Riddle State Nature Preserve runs up a ridge and faces north/northwest. A small intermittent stream is present and the area is home to an explosion of greenery– ferns, fungus and in the spring, a variety of wildflowers including showy orchis, jack-in-the-pulpit, and trilliums.

The wooded preserve provides excellent habitat for birds which depend on mature forests, such as the worm-eating warbler and Louisiana waterthrush. The forest supports good populations of breeding ovenbirds, wood thrushes, red-eyed vireos, Acadian flycatchers and eastern wood pewees.

Located in Athens County, the preserve is adjacent to Strouds Run State Park.