USA Horsetooth Reservoir, Fort Collins, Colorado

Horsetooth Reservoir is a sizeable lake just west of Fort Collins in Colorado. Access is fairly straightforward (particularly on the north and east sides), making it a nice spot for a quick nature getaway if you're looking to get out of Fort Collins but you're not looking to do any hiking.

If you're shooting nature/landscapes, I'd recommend bringing some slightly longer focal length lenses than normal. The foothills are fairly short, so if you want to emphasize them in the frame you might need a longer focal length. Both images were shot at a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 50mm. I've taken plenty of "successful" 35mm images here, but I'd shy away from going much wider for most cases. As for time of day/year, there's quite a bit of flexibility. I particularly enjoy sunrises here, as the sun hits the foothills on the west as it rises. In winter, the foothills have great texture with the snow complementing the pine trees, and there's no real access issues since the roads are generally plowed and there's very little hiking involved. In summer, there's a lot of boating and other activity on the lake, which can add a human element to your shot (if that's what you're looking for).

Google will get you to the reservoir, but be warned that parking requires a pass (although I've parked many times and never been "caught"). There are great views of the reservoir from the West, but that requires entering Lory State Park, which has an entrance fee. The first shot (of the sunrise) was taken from the bridge on the north edge of the reservoir. There's no parking nearby, but I just stopped on the shoulder of the bridge given the time of day. Traffic is low here, so you can probably get away with that approach as long as you're not camped out for too long. The second shot (at night with the star trails) was taken on the eastern edge facing west. There are plenty of pull-offs for parking along the eastern road (County Road 23).