Honestly there wont be a lot of things you can do to the vehicle itself. It is what it is. Like above, get a good set of AT tires. You also need to leek and see where the air intake for the engine is. if its down below the bumper, consider getting an aftermarket intake that locates the filter high in the engine compartment so that any kind of water crossing wont turn your engine into a couple hundred pumps of scrap metal. If you plan on pulling long uphill grades you might see about additional transmission cooling. Don't let anyone tell you you need a different vehicle. I use to go deer hunting in my 2002 Ford Focus station wagon. That thing sat even lower than your Escape
You may choose to upgrade later, but for now, just go have fun. You'll also be getting fuel mileage that most of us only dream about!
After that, its all up to you, and these rules apply to anyone leaving the pavement. Crawl under the vehicle and learn where things are. In the event your fire road gets a little washed out, you want to know where the low hanging points on the car are so you can avoid them. Learn to drive so that your tires go over the larger obstacles you cant go around, not the center of your car. Figure out your needs when camping versus your wants, and pack accordingly. You don't want to overload that vehicle. There are some nice tents out there that attach to the back of your vehicle, allowing you to use your car for sleeping or storage if need be. Really its gonna be up to you at this point. If you have specific questions on gear or what ever, this is the place to ask.
