As far as finding places to hike, you might see if there is a hiking club in your area. Around here (Dayton, Ohio) there are are two outdoor groups, both using the Meetup format to schedule events and maintain membership. You might also do a general google search for "hiking trails in New Jersey" or similar terms. I found this by googling "backpacking trails in New Jersey":
http://www.backpacker.com/destinations/category/166Your state department of natural resources (or state park service, or whatever it's called) might also be a good place to start. It might not include any overnight trails, but it would be a possible source of day hikes and overnight car-camping campgrounds (which is a great way to try out new gear in a controlled environment, where you can bail easily if things go wrong.)
Also, you might check your local bookstore, or possibly your library.
At Barnes and Nobels I was able to find two very detailed books on hiking trails in Kentucky. They not only outline and map the trails, other details such as difficulty, camping sites and requirements, water availabilty, parking locations, etc..etc..are also included. Nearly all of the information you might need, including hazards, park or forest rules can be found in them. I would guess that they are available in your home state.
J.
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