I'm a rather inexperienced hiker planning a six day trip with a few friends to the Smokies for next month. I guess my biggest question is how much ground can we expect to cover per day. Based on the loop I currently have planned, our hikes will range from six to eleven miles per day for a total of 54 miles. Does this seem about right or should I look at the possibility of extending some of our hikes?

By the way, we're all in pretty decent, but not great shape.

It all depends on what time you get up. Its fairly easy to hike all day(for me). If you stay hydrated and keep your energy level up this is easy to do. So if you get up early like 7 or 8 and hike till 6-7pm you can cover ground.

I have no idea about the area you will be hiking in but, if you have the stamina and can stand knee pains, ankle pain or what ever else then you should be fine.
Also you could set the goal to hike 10 miles a day and just that, but i think you will find you can pump out more miles.

I started at 14 miles a day and now am up to about 25 here in the Sierra's. Thats starting at 8am and hiking till 6:30-7pm

The short answer, since you say you're in shape is, yes, you should be fine.

Factors that will complicate that are how much gear weight will you be carrying, and where is this loop you're looking at?

Coming from the generally flatter area of Michigan, you may find some of the route to be surprisingly steep, especially if you are climbing from the Carolina side up to the AT. Even Tennessee approaches tend to be quite tough for those who have not spent much time climbing. Combine this with 55 pounds of gear, and you have a recipe for a pretty uncomfortable walk.

BUT, your mileage is sufficiently short that you should still be able to cover it. Care to give us an idea of what your loop looks like?

The loop I currently have planned starts at the park headquarters (Sugarlands) and heads about 16 miles south to the AT. 11 miles on the AT before taking the Boulevard Trail to Mt. Leconte. From there, Rainbow Falls to the Sugarlands Trail and back to headquarters.

That's the just of it although I do have some extra hiking planned on shorter days(ex. from Mt Leconte partway down the Alum Cave Trail and back up). I'm planning on driving to a campsite after reaching park headquarters the last night and then heading to Chimney Tops the last morning before driving home.

I am thinking about fitting in an extra 4-5 miles on a couple of the shorter days, but it's kinda tough when you have to go campsite to campsite.

That route is not as steep as some others. Keep your pack weight reasonable and you should be fine.

Be sure to call ahead for reservations for all shelters. You can call as early as 30 days prior to the start of your hike. You can get all the info you need here.

Hopefully you'll have good weather to enjoy the view from Clingman's Dome. It's worth stowing your gear for a bit at Icewater Springs Shelter and walking the extra mile up the AT to Charlie's Bunion, an absolutely great view, weather permitting.

Are you staying at LeConte Lodge or Shelter? Even if you are only staying at the shelter, you can still get snacks and a few souvenirs at the Lodge, so it's worth checking out and bringing a few dollars cash.

Enjoy the Tennessee side. It tends to be greener. I don't say that out of state pride, but simple science. Tennessee is on the north slope, gets less sun, and therefore retains rainfall better than NC. But once you're in the valleys, you'll get great green hardwood forest on either side of the AT.

Best of luck!