getting to Arches/Canyonlands from Florida

Timeking wrote:
We intend to leave late March-early April from FL. My wife wants to go to the big bridge west of Canon City CO, which is why I said Pueblo. If we stuck with Rte 1 we'd go to Grand Junction then to Moab, and eventually north to Glacier NP(thru Tetons and Yellowstone). If we go Rte 2, we'd go thru Pagosa Springs, Durango, to Moab up 191, then on to Glacier. 550 goes thru 3 summits, so don't think we'd go that way.

We don't go to restaurants or shop. We are just into scenery and doable hiking (I'm 66 with 2 bad knees). So which route has the best scenery, wildlife, outdoors stuff? I looked at Curecanti and that just looked like a boat ramp, and if we go Rte 1, we planned on bypassing Curecanti and stay in Gunnison NP.

OK...that clears up a lot. Comments below are based upon an arrival in March or April, and depends on how much time you're planning to allow for travel between Florida and southern Colorado. If you are going to meander and your arrival in Colorado won't be until May, then the below points will be moot!

Royal Gorge Bridge. It's open all year, but it's "season" usually runs from mid March through October. There was significant damage around the bridge (but not the bridge itself) during the fire of 2013. Many of the facilities around the bridge were under reconstruction last season; I didn't get down that way, so I don't know how much progress they made, but the fire damage was extensive. In March/April, many of the facilities not associated with the bridge may not be open -- too early in the season.

The timeframe you stated is during 2 of the snowiest months in Colorado....March and April, March being the snowiest of all. There will be practically no hiking available except at lower elevations, with few exceptions. The tramway at the top of Monarch Pass, IIRC, is seasonal and likely won't open until some time in May.

Taking US 50 is certainly doable, but you'll need to keep a close eye on the weather. Timing is critical to get through the area between Salida and Montrose in between potential storms.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP has camping available all year at the south rim, seasonal at the north rim.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP

The 2nd route would probably be better, and as posted previously, going to Albuquerque and then NW to Pagosa and Durango, would probably be a safer route. You'll still need to keep an eye on the weather, as northern NM and southern CO can still get goodly storms that time of year.

Overall, I think your timetable is a bit early to really maximize the enjoyment of the trip you have planned, as many things to see and do will still be closed/snowed in. I'm sure others will offer some suggestions for other portions of your planned itinerary.