Barring a skilled pal to show you some ropes, a good place to start if inclined to venture out is a book on basic wilderness navigating with map and compass (learn about local declination), spend a bit of time practicing in an open field, park or somewhere known. Then pick up a good topo or DeLorme gazetteer for your area/state and find a suitable locale for investigating. If you can find a "boxed" region between a lake/pond, mountain or woods road to explore, knowing that if you become disoriented you walk to the perimeter-- lake which you know is E or the mountain/hill base you know is W, or woods road looping around from N-S etc. I've often used this strategy bushwhacking up in the N ME woods, 5000 sq miles of desolate working forest, unmapped logging spurs that go nowhwere etc, if I get it wrong, I could be bushwhacking for days through swamps and balsam thicket, war zone of blowdowns. I started with just map and compass but when the woods are so thick, one can only take a bearing out to 50' -- there is a lot of room for error, and I've made them, great fun, 10 minutes of really knowing you're alive-- til re-oriented! I've wised up in my old age, carry a back-up gps and plb now. I don't rely on the former and prefer NEVER to use the latter. But for starting out, that tech is good reassurance, maybe enough to override concerns and get out there, just don't get lazy with learning the basic skills and become reliant on battery powered gizmos. Good luck, have fun, stay out of the news!
https://www.exotac.com/products/essential-wilderness-navigation-a-real-world-guide-to-finding-your-way-safely-in-the-woods-with-or-without-a-map-compass-or-gps
https://www.mhprofessional.com/the-essential-wilderness-navigator-how-to-find-your-way-in-the-great-outdoors-second-edition-9780071361101-usa