I grew up in Colorado where the mountains are premier and so is the off-roading. I've since learned how I had done things where others, with more sense, dared to go. I retired back in 2010 after working for the Army; I had spent a lot of time traveling all over the USA as well as living in Germany. I had been going off road since the 1960's but seldom in a 4x4 (the Army always had 4x4 or 6x6 vehicles). I decided to buy a Jeep to try to get more off road than I could in my Dodge 4x4.
I also found a local 4x4 club, which I joined after attending meetings for four or five months. I found the group was family oriented as well as concerned all members, from the youngest to the oldest, from the newest owner to the aged owner, could learn to do things in a safe, sane, and proper way. For me, this was exactly what I was interested in learning about. Since then I've worn out one Jeep ('00 WJ) and bought two as replacements. My wife has the '14 Grand Cherokee and I have an '11 JKU Rubicon, which has been lifted and lots of safety stuff added like a winch, fire extinguisher, and skid plates. The best thing, IMO, have been the Las Cruces Chile Challenges I've attended. I've learned so much by joining and by getting to know other people who participate in this sport & way of life.
How to learn about groups or clubs? I searched the Internet as well as looked at other Jeeps to see if any had decals I could identify. Many 4x4 dealers have related groups & forums which list clubs in an area. All of these should be researched. I found attending meetings is the best way to decide if I wanted to become a paying member. Some groups I've belonged to in the past did not meet my needs. (For example, I try to avoid organizations which are surrounded by consumption of alcohol. In the long run, they have proven to be very dangerous for my peace of mind). I try to be a good will ambassador and I'll talk with anyone about off-roading. I also have business cards from our club which I hand out so people can easily find our website and find out more about our club (LasCrucesFourWheelDriveClub.com Las Cruces, NM)