Blanchard: Valley, Arts and Local History

Blanchard is nestled in a scenic small valley, surrounded on three sides by mountains rising up to 5,000 feet. A local history account from 1959 describes this setting. The elevation is a maximum, not a uniform height for all the mountains. For choosing a destination, this figure gives a concrete sense of Blanchard’s scenic setting. The valley describes the surroundings, while sports and community offerings can shape individual days or schedules; both aspects address different questions in your travel planning.

Sports at StoneRidge

StoneRidge has six championship pickleball courts. The StoneRidge golf course has 19 holes. The numbers describe two different things: the number of courts for pickleball and the number of holes for golf. This provides a concrete basis for comparing sports options without treating the activities as equivalent. If you’re planning time for a particular activity, you can use this to decide what kind of visit interests you.

To reach StoneRidge from I-90, take Exit 7, head north on Highway 41, and follow Blanchard Elk Road. After about 28 miles, you’ll reach the north side of Blanchard; turn left at the gas station and continue another three-quarters of a mile to the entrance. Check road conditions and signage at the entrance before you travel.

Arts, Crafts and Community

The Blanchard Community Center offers arts and crafts events and classes. The program also includes a free summer art camp for children. Alongside sports, these are creative offerings in local community life: events, classes, and a camp explicitly described as seasonal. If you’re planning to include arts or crafts in your stay, distinguish the summer offering for children from the classes and events also mentioned.

The Blanchard Grange also offers a specific time reference: a community potluck is listed on the event calendar for the fourth Monday at 6:30 p.m. The schedules for the community offerings therefore differ: the art camp is described as a summer offering, while the meal is listed with a day of the week and time. If you’d like to include an event like this in your trip, check the event dates in advance. This is especially helpful if a particular program is important in choosing when to travel.

The Name Blanchard

The place name points to a specific person: Blanchard was named after Joe Blanchard, an early settler. Joe Blanchard was the father’s brother-in-law and moved to Kootenai Lake in Canada. This naming story adds a historical connection to the place alongside today’s sports and community offerings. If you’d like to get to know places through their names and the life stories connected with them, this story offers a different perspective from current activities.

Discover more destinations: Hope, Sandpoint, Athol, Ponderay, Priest River, Sagle, Coolin

Return to the main travel overview: Bonner County.