A system and method creates multiple, symmetric spanning trees within a network. Bridges within the network generate, send and process Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) control messages that are updated as they are propagated across the network to reflect the paths followed by the messages. The bridges, moreover, utilize the path indication value of received STP control messages to compute the spanning trees. The path indication values are preferably derived from the sum of Bridge Identifiers (IDs) corresponding to the bridges through which the STP control message has passed from the root bridge to the current bridge processing the STP control message. Each bridge also tags newly received messages with the Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) identifier (VID) associated with the spanning tree for which the bridge is the root, thereby causing the messages to follow more optimal paths through the network.