I am assuming that you are starting at Fontana Damn if so it only takes 5 days to hike through the park you can carry enough food to get you through the park that way you don't have to worry about a mail drop or dealing with all of Gatlinburg's BS, and if your going father than Davenport Gap you can have a mail drop at Standing Bear Farm Hostel it would be helpful to know where your starting and stopping.