Up in the northernmost part of California just under the Oregon border lie three of the state's most bucolic and least populated counties: Humboldt, Mendocino, and Trinity. Collectively, these counties make up the three points of what's come to be known as the Emerald Triangle—so named because this region is widely regarded as the cannabis cultivation capital of America, if not the world.

Why, you ask? Well, the Mediterranean-like soil and climate offer the perfect terroir to grow the highest quality and quantity of cannabis possible. It was these ideal agricultural conditions—as well as the seclusion and sustainability the area offered—that drew so many of the hippies from the San Francisco scene to settle up there in the late 1960s and early 70s to grow their beloved but illegal herb hidden from the prying eyes of the law.