>>2671189Looks like LeConte via Kephart/AT and back same way is about 18 miles, enough in a day for me lol, I would just drive to Collins and Clingman's but you do you. I did LeConte via the 17 mile loop with Grotto falls and parked at Roaring Fork road, car camped so I could start at dawn, a couple others parked near me did the same and no one bothered us. It was a lot for me for with only a daypack, ascent was fine but the blisters really wore at me on the way back down.
I figured Linville would be take longer with camping gear, and I also couldn't start until noon, but I didn't account for the trail was much rougher, narrower, rockier than any I saw at GSNP, being a wilderness area versus a national park, in spite of lots of traffic on it during dry leafpeeping season. Plan for everything on the east side on the river, from the MST crossing to Spence Ridge intersection, taking much longer with many steep ascents/descents, much tougher mileage than the west side that follows the river (though I enjoyed the tamer scenery more than many on the AllTrails reviews I think). Also scout out water sources beforehand on the east side.
Pic related was the MST southern crossing of the Grand loop, ankle-high, did it in water shoes just fine, probably at similar levels but I'd check Linville river levels just before.