If you are looking for a fun and exciting recreation area, one where you can fish, picnic, relax, boat, hunt, camp, or kayak, Tyler County might be the place for you.

The county offers two really nice locations that should more than satisfy your outdoor experiences.

Recently major improvements have been made to the historic jug recreation area located right off Rt. 18 about two miles east of Middlebourne, while conway lake has also undergone some improvements in the past few years making it a favorite for fishing for local anglers.

With the WVDOT and DNR’s recent restoration to the Jug access bridge and dam the Jug handle has opened back up. It is nearly a four mile loop along Middle Island Creek that takes boaters, kayakers, hunters or hikers for a scenic trip of the area.

Back in the late 1940’s there wasn’t much water going around the loop so a dam was built to allow for some of the natural flow of water to go around the loop. Since then the dam had deteriorated and a new one was needed, so in 2025, Brayman Construction Corporation was awarded a $3 million contract for the construction of a new dam and a bridge at the Jug site. With construction of the dam completed there is now easy access to the Jug loop and kayakers can drive down along the creek to unload their equipment without the hassle of putting in upstream.

Once they travel the Jug loop it brings them back to their starting point where they can pull back down on the bridge and load back up. It provides for easy entrance and exit.

According to the DNR, the Jug area is a 2,000 plus acre wildlife management area managed by the state’s DNR, and is prime for hunting as well as fishing.

Tyler County also offers Conway Lake, a 30 acre lake located within a 630 acre DNR wildlife management area. The lake area offers picnicking, primitive camping, fishing, boating and other recreation activities. Known for great trout and bass fishing the lake has seen updates in the past few years making it a local favorite when it comes to children’s fishing tournaments or just a place to go and relax. Conway lake has served the area well for several decades and continues to draw people for holiday camping and family get-togethers.Fishing boats and small watercraft are permitted with two boat launches available.

The scenery at the lake is unmatched in the area and is a great spot for viewing wildlife, birding, and picnicking in a peaceful, wooded setting. It is surrounded by mixed hardwood forests with trails for hiking. The West Virginia Department of Natural Resources manages the lake and facilities, which include a shooting range, bath house/restroom.

Hunting and trapping opportunities exist within the Wildlife Management area, including deer, turkey, and small game. The WMA also includes a public shooting range, recently upgraded to include a shelter and 25, 50, and 100 yard backstops.