California State Parks · California
McConnell State Recreation Area
California State Parks · California, United States
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Dump station
- No
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 118 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 4
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · Verizon weak · AT&T good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Ballico
- Address
- 8800 McConnell Road
- Phone
- (209) 394-7755
About
McConnell State Recreation Area is a California State Park campground offering tent camping, group campsites, RV camping in Merced County.
Fees
California State Parks (ReserveCalifornia.com) does not publish one statewide nightly rate schedule; its own Booking and Fees page states rates 'vary based on the accommodation type and the amenities available at that park' and are posted per-park at booking time. A non-refundable $8.25 reservation fee (also $8.25 to modify or cancel) applies per ReserveCalifornia transaction, on top of the site's nightly rate. Fees include entry for one vehicle and one legally towed vehicle/trailer; additional vehicles are charged per-night at the park. Yes: Dogs allowed only in campground.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 60° | 42° | 34° | 73° | 0 of 11 |
| February | 62° | 43° | 32° | 77° | 1 of 11 |
| March | 66° | 46° | 35° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| April | 71° | 50° | 40° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 85° | 58° | 46° | 97° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 93° | 64° | 52° | 109° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 102° | 70° | 58° | 113° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 98° | 69° | 61° | 111° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 92° | 64° | 55° | 105° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 82° | 56° | 45° | 94° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 68° | 48° | 38° | 84° | 0 of 10 |
| December | 58° | 41° | 34° | 68° | 0 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- George J. Hatfield State Recreation Area · California State Parks · 14 mi
- Turlock Lake State Recreation Area · California State Parks · 16 mi · 66 sites
- Modesto Reservoir Regional Park · City, County & Regional Parks · 18 mi
- Lake McSwain Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 23 mi · 111 sites
- Blue Oaks Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 25 mi · 195 sites
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.