dwestrick,

That's not a dumb question at all, as I think the previous posters have made clear.

Not sure I've walked the same trails you're discussing, but I've hiked extensively in that same general area. There ain't any serious hills to speak of, but it ain't flat either, and generally the trails are rough and wet.

After say 15 days on the trail, being in great shape and with a light pack, ten miles would be pretty much the minimum. For the rest of us, billstephenson is right, six would be a whole lot safer. And I agree with Glen about having a previously identified bailout point (I often did that when leading groups that included beginners). I will also second strongly Oregon Mouse's advice about planning to stop with plenty of daylight (and knowing your gear). You can always go further next time

Finally, I want to add one new thing. Bring food you'll look forward to eating and that requires very little preparation. The point of all this is to make sure you actually do enjoy it so that there really will be a next time.

best, jcp