Hey HF,
New member here, but I've been turning to this site for info for awhile. I'm trying to plan a 5-6 day (4-5 night) thru hike (30-50miles) for my wife and I, for our annual anniversary (4yrs, this year) camping trip. She says she wants something different from the Smokies & local state parks. We are from the Knoxville, TN area & have the Smokies in our backyard, but my wife loves cold weather & snow, I'd like to surprise her on this trip. I'm turning here for ideas, and past experience for late season trips. I know the farther west we go the earlier places close, and rules get stricter.

Info and gear to follow.

INFO:
I know my limitations, & will not push her too far past hers (she pushes me most of the time). We do want to push ourselves a bit this trip & improve.
We just started hammock camping (loving it) and short hikes/backpacking/BC camping trips (1-5mi) last year, b4 that it was car camping.
I'm currently looking north (UP of MI) & west, CO, SD, ND, WI, MI, & MT. As an OTR trucker I can knock out near 1000 travel miles per day, plus her driving.
Trying to keep elevation on the moderate to lower end (2k-6k ft, is that realistic?), as we are still acclimating to hiking/backpacking.
My plan is depart home: 23Oct21, arrive 24th or 25th / backpack till 28th or 30th, drive home)
Cool to cold (in late Oct.) would be nice.
Possibility of snow would be a plus. (It will dictate daily average hiking though)
Scenic is a must, we don't hike to hike, yet.

GEAR:
2x Blackbird XLC's, no winter cover yet. Should have them by trip time.
2x 0* Wookie XL's
1x 20* Premium Burrow w/4oz overfill (me)
1x 0* Econ Burrow no overfill (her)
2x woobies (I've slept to 38* comfortably, for her plus +10, should easily add 10-15* to our sleep systems)
1x 13' Superfly tarp (to use together with Dutch spreader bar)
1x 11' Superfly tarp (for cooking, hanging out, etc.)
Garmin InReach Explorer +
Appropriate clothing.

Any guidance/ideas you fine folks can provide would be greatly appreciated. What do you usually use for trip planning? I've got All Trails (use it for biking), & Garmin.

TiA