Try out hiking trails first to familiarize yourself with the terrain and weather. Get a map and figure out what is private and what is public (and open access) land. 3-5 miles outside of town isn't going to get you easy access to public lands unless you're going to a park or are knowledgeable about the area. Lastly, reconsider just going off trail and pushing through the brush - not only for the reasons others have stated, also because trails have been established to protect the eco systems. Because of our local geology, many areas have pretty shallow soil. I know, what difference will person make? It's not the one person, but the next that, out of curiosity, follows the path made, then the next, etc...until there's a worn path that encourages erosion where plants were holding the dirt in place before.