Reddit reviews The Backpacker's Field Manual, Revised and Updated: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Backcountry Skills

For a complete beginner I usually recommend you pick up a book. There's so much information that it's hard to get anything from Reddit replies. Backpacking becomes a very personal activity after a few years and everyone has different ideas about the best set ups for gear and what not. So start with one of these books and really get an understanding of all the different types of gear. Also if you're in the states and have an REI close by you should see what kind of courses they offer. Most REI's have some kind of free intro to backpacking course. If you're cautious and prepared, going solo is just as safe as going in a group.
The top 3

The Ultimate Hikers Guide

The Backpackers Field Manual

The Complete Walker IV

The first one is probably the most easily digestible. The 3rd is my favorite but that's just because I enjoy the writing style. It's also arguably the most comprehensive.
I'd suggest you grab one or more of those books and start getting an understanding of all the gear. You could start with some easy overnight trip.

Edit: I just want to add, if you've never been backpacking at all you should look into gear rental and plan a quick trip. I've known plenty of people that think they want to do it until they do and they hate it. REI's have gear rental, some colleges have Outdoor Rec departments that rent gear. You could also look for a meetup.com group near you and message them about wanting to learn. I used to go out with a Meetup group and we would always gladly put a bag together for someone wanting to try it out.

No substitute for hiking! Can't complain against cardio and strength training though, hitting the gym will sure enforce mental discipline which is a big helper. When you guys do get outside remember that its not a race and sometimes objectives can't be reached. Learn to judge the difference between being uncomfortable and setting yourself up for injury.

If you're at the gym killing time on a stationary bike or treadmill check out navigation and backpacking at least for starters.

Don't waste your money on a course. First thing I would do get a book or two for about $15 each. This and this look like two good books. I'm Swedish so the books I use wouldn't be much use to you.

Next is to get a backpack and some gear. Once you have the gear pack it up in the backpack and go car camping for a couple of weekends. Only use what you have in the backpack.

Then you can progress to going on overnight trips. You should be able to find organized groups that go on backpacking trips. Start with simple overnights and progress from there. Or you can just go with friends.

I was in a similar situation as you a few years ago. In an unpopular locale for backpacking (north TX) and had zero friends that were into it.

There's endless resources online but I wanted an all encompassing guide in my hands to start. The Backpackers Field Manual was really helpful. It was originally used as a textbook for a backpacking class at Princeton until it was published. It's organized really nicely with everything from equipment to weather and navigation.

I started with this book and then began sifting through websites like www.backpackinglight.com, Erik the Black's blog, Section Hiker and various other websites.

Hope this is helpful. Good luck.

This book has lots and lots of information about planning trips for groups: http://www.amazon.com/Backpackers-Field-Manual-Revised-Updated/dp/1400053099/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415212401&sr=1-1&keywords=backpacker%27s+field+manual

Edit: sloppy typing

Book 1 is good.
Try these as well

Book3

Book 4

Book 5 - I have not read this book but I trust the author

I don't have any in particular in mind. I was referring to the general subject of setting up camp, building a fire, and some basic do's and don'ts in the outdoors.

Something like this from Peter G. Drake would fill the bill nicely. Here's another one oriented more towards backpacking and camping from Rick Curtis

My point was survival manuals are good for a specific audience but most people who go camping aren't going to be interested in which insect larvae contains the most protein or how to set dead fall traps.
Edit : Added second book

An ounce of preparation is worth a pound of work later / cure / whatever the saying is.

Note that I have no experience in this geographical region, but I've done quite a bit of hiking / camping in other places.

Most important: Research the hell out of the area you're going before you go. Does it rain there? What are average / extreme temps? You can find this all at park websites, NOAA, other organizations that track average / historical weather. What is the elevation profile of the hike? Sure its 26 miles, but 26 miles in the Alps is way different than 26 miles in Kansas. How high will you be going in elevation? above 3 - 3500 meters you might start thinking about how your body will react to the higher elevations. Plus, a huge elevation gain in short amount of time is, well, taxing, and you're all apparently pretty new.

On to gear: Sleeping bags are really the only place you get warmth. Three season tents don't really contribute to how warm you feel, especially if it is ventilated well so that condensation doesn't collect in the tent. It is all about your bag and whatever you're wearing. If it gets colder than 30 degrees (see why you should check the averages and extremes?) you're gonna have a bad time, especially because there is (AFAIK) no exact standard or science to how those numbers are derived. It also depends on personal preference, and women versus men. Men are comfortable colder than women when sleeping, apparently. EDIT: also, those numbers don't always indicate comfort, but just "survivability." You'll be up all night shivering your ass off, but you'll live... not all warm and toasty maybe...

Hiking that long brings up some other questions. What do you do about water and food? I don't know the trail, but you should know before you go out there, how easy is it to resupply water. How will you purify / filter it? Food: it gets heavy, and so does water, so you don't want to take too much, you also don't want to take too little. Beyond that, knowing how often you come upon streams, lakes, etc. to resupply your water will help you reduce weight. Why carry 5 liters when there's a stream 1 hour away where you can get some new water. Yea, it takes 5 minutes to stop and filter, but it drops weight.

Other thoughts: Critters and bears. Are there any there? You've got to worry about that then, to make sure they don't get into your food.

Leave no trace (LNT): We can go into some long discussions here about how to reduce impact on the wilderness. How and where you clean your dishes, wash, where to cook, where to shit, how to shit, etc. Where to put your tent, more importantly, where NOT to put it to reduce risks of problems...

Ok so all that aside, can you do it? why not, you've got a month to get ready, but you need to actively start researching both the area of your trip, and general camping /backpacking tips / guides. Its not rocket science, and the chances are high that if you go into the woods with some friends on a well known trail, you'll come back out alive. However, it would be good to think of what could go wrong, and then what you would do to fix it, and then learn any/all skills needed just in case.

i.e. Your friend falls, breaks ankle. Well that sucks. And now its snowing. also sucks. You're like 5 miles from the trailhead, but that's pretty far if your friend can't walk, or can just hobble with 2 people's assistance. What do you do now? It's super cold, can you make a fire? Did you leave a note (ALWAYS LEAVE A NOTE) telling someone where you'd be, so that if you don't come back on time, they know something's wrong? Do you send one friend out in the snow to find help (at risk of losing the trail maybe) and you wait with friend, or do you stay and hope that your Mom calls the Rangers (how embarrassing :-)

Far fetched? Maybe, but its not outside the realm of possibility. Now you don't have to turn into Survivorman and be able to start a fire with nothing, and build a shelter in any environment, but you should think about what can go wrong, and what you could do in that situation. And then go in your backyard and practice it, don't just read it. In the end, its about minimizing risk and preparing.

But most importantly, have fun! I have lit countless campfires, and I still love it, there's some satisfaction in seeing a flame take off (note: not an arsonist) and the best food you'll ever eat is whatever comes out of your pot after a long day of hiking. Getting out of all this terrible crap, internet, job, cities, and into some beautiful landscapes, is the best thing on Earth.

So, my thoughts? If you're gonna do it, all 3 of you need to get serious now with checking out resources and preparing yourselves, make a plan, research the trail a bit, think of what might happen and be ready for it, and know how to camp without leaving a trace! Oh, and tell someone responsible what the plan is, just in case.

EDIT: Sorry for wall of text...

Also, maybe check out a book like: http://www.amazon.com/Backpackers-Field-Manual-Revised-Updated/dp/1400053099/ref=cm_lmf_tit_5

This is all assuming you all have limited to no experience outside.. if this isn't the case, forgive me for stating things you probably already are aware of...

I keep The Backpackers Field Manual by Rick Curtis in my EDC bag and on take it on all my adventures. It has some very helpful information and is easy to navigate.

The Backpacker's Field Manual by Rick Curtis

i would say this book has everything you need. http://www.amazon.com/Backpackers-Field-Manual-Revised-Updated/dp/1400053099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301881124&sr=8-1

i've bought this one

going to checkout the complete walker

The Backpacker's Field Manual, Revised and Updated: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Backcountry Skills

everything you will ever need to know is in here https://www.amazon.com/Backpackers-Field-Manual-Revised-Updated/dp/1400053099/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469109212&sr=8-1&keywords=backpacker+field+guide