Mackinnon Pass is the highest point (1,154 metres above sea level) on the Milford Track

Milford Track

The Milford Track is a widely known tramping route in New Zealand – located amidst mountains and temperate rain forest in Fiordland National Park in the southwest of the South Island....

 between Lake Te Anau

Lake Te Anau

Lake Te Anau is in the southwestern corner of the South Island of New Zealand. Its name was originally Te Ana-au, Maori for 'The cave of swirling water'. The lake covers an area of 344 km², making it the second-largest lake by surface area in New Zealand and the largest in the South Island...

 and the Arthur Valley in Fiordland National Park

Fiordland National Park

Fiordland National Park occupies the southwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest of the 14 national parks in New Zealand, with an area of 12,500 km², and a major part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site...

, which is in the Southland Region

Southland Region

Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and is also a district within that region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura...

 of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

.

It was discovered in 1888 by Quintin McKinnon

Quintin McKinnon

Quintin McPherson McKinnon, was a New Zealand explorer and tour guide.McKinnon was born in Argyllshire, Scotland and emigrated to New Zealand sometime in the 1870s. In 1879 he married Barbara Sinclair in Dunedin. They had two sons Quintin Gillies McKinnon and Robert Daniel McKinnon...

and Ernest Mitchell and a memorial to the discovery stands in its place today. Mackinnon Pass is also the site of a short-time/emergency shelter along the track.