AdventureParents.com is devoted to celebrating parents who love outdoor adventure in any of its forms, and who do what they can to raise outdoors-loving children. This site brings lively stories that amuse, engage, and interest outdoor adventure enthusiasts who happen to be raising kids.

This blog was created by Mark and Brooke Stephens, read more about them below.

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Mark Stephens

Mark Stephens
Mark is a columnist on family adventure travel for Overland Journal, a quarterly publication for environmentally responsible adventure travel. He's also the primary content slave for this website.

Born of, reared by, and educated in Arizona's Sonoran Desert, he's climbed the walls of Devil's Canyon, trekked the trails throughout the Rocky Mountains, slept on the ground in most National Parks, rope-swung into a river here and there, driven the back roads of the southwest U.S. and Mexico, enjoyed song and cerveza in the cantinas of the Baja peninsula, and otherwise traveled like a backpacking pilgrim from British Columbia to Peru.

Mark holds a degree in English from Arizona State University; he learned from composition maestros such as Jeanne Dugan, Robert Krut, and G. Lynn Nelson. His work has been published in Overland Journal, Nissan Sport Magazine, Arizona Outdoorsman, and JPFreek Adventure Magazine.

"One fine day upon Hayden Lawn," he tells of meeting someone special at said University, "I'd been stunned into a walking coma by this pony-tailed blond walking in my direction. She wore running shoes and perfect little Sun Devil running shorts."

"Naturally, I looked. Then she looked. She said, 'Hi.'  And I swear she smiled in a fashion that would make the entire legion of Greek Gods lay down and weep. It's been epic ever since."

Contact Mark at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 480-365-9106 (text or call)

Brooke Stephens

Brooke Stephens
Brooke is a devoted teacher, both as a high school choir director and as a mom to daughter, Chloe.

She brings her exuberance and professional organizational skills to her music classes as well as the Stephens’ family adventures.  With her time split between raising a toddler and teaching teenagers, Brooke is often ready for a trip outside to explore the deserts, mountains, and beaches that are within close proximity of their home in Chandler, AZ. 

As a professionally trained music educator from Arizona State University, Brooke has fine arts experience in piano accompaniment, vocal music, and conducting.  Believing that music is a lifelong pursuit, she continues to practice choral singing as a member of the touring Mesa choir, Sonoran Desert Chorale. 

After meeting Mark in college (and quickly becoming his number one fan), Brooke began experiencing the outdoors more actively through off-highway driving, rock climbing, backpacking, and skiing.

Since their marriage in 2003, Mark and Brooke have taken vacations that are outdoor-recreation focused that allows them a deeper look at the surrounding culture and scenery: hiking to a secluded mountain lake in Yosemite National Park, camping on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Baja, Mexico, and exploring the past of the ancient people of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico.  Brooke and Mark make it a priority to take family trips and teach their daughter Chloe that the outdoors is a fun place to play and learn.