McConnell State Recreation Area is a California state park on the Merced River near Livingston, between Turlock and Merced along U.S. Route 99. The park is known as a riverside destination for fishing, picnicking, camping, and play areas, with fishing especially noted for catfish, black bass, and perch. It was named for Thomas McConnell, who homesteaded the area. In 2008, the park was among 48 California state parks proposed for closure by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as part of a deficit-reduction program.