CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$ 334,236	$ 353,642
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(122,482)	(112,015)
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture	(139,879)	0
Purchase of timberlands	(11,650)	(11,632)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(137,392)	(104,782)
Proceeds from the disposition of Wood Products business	68,063	0
Change in restricted cash	3,989	(12,796)
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	159	4,281
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(339,192)	(236,944)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	607,885	355,000
Repayment of debt	(453,463)	(198,653)
Dividends paid	(175,079)	(152,358)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	9,205	20,732
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	8,189	7,057
Debt issuance costs	0	(3,698)
Repurchase of common shares	(11,303)	(7,783)
Issuance of intercompany notes	0	0
Intercompany distributions	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(14,566)	20,297
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	(336)	(123)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(19,858)	136,872
Balance, beginning of year	280,596	78,603
Balance, end of period	260,738	215,475
Rayonier Inc. (Parent Guarantor) [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	389,405	23,916
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Proceeds from the disposition of Wood Products business	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(138,178)	0
Other	0	0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(138,178)	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	175,000	325,000
Repayment of debt	(325,000)	(120,000)
Dividends paid	(175,079)	(152,358)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	9,205	20,732
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	(3,698)
Repurchase of common shares	(11,303)	(7,783)
Issuance of intercompany notes	(4,000)	(9,000)
Intercompany distributions	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(331,177)	52,893
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(79,950)	76,809
Balance, beginning of year	252,888	0
Balance, end of period	172,938	76,809
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | ROC (Subsidiary Guarantor) [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	394,700	105,407
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(335)	(240)
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Proceeds from the disposition of Wood Products business	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(138,178)	0
Other	1,701	(69)
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(136,812)	(309)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	(30,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0	0
Intercompany distributions	(256,921)	(24,529)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(256,921)	(54,529)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	967	50,569
Balance, beginning of year	3,966	8,977
Balance, end of period	4,933	59,546
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	84,000	12,000
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Proceeds from the disposition of Wood Products business	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(316,836)	(5,536)
Other	0	0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(316,836)	(5,536)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	375,000	15,000
Repayment of debt	(56,527)	(23,153)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0	0
Intercompany distributions	(84,000)	(12,000)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	234,473	(20,153)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	1,637	(13,689)
Balance, beginning of year	19,358	59,976
Balance, end of period	20,995	46,287
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | Non-guarantors [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	291,478	317,407
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(122,147)	(111,775)
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture	(139,879)
Purchase of timberlands	(11,650)	(11,632)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(137,392)	(104,782)
Proceeds from the disposition of Wood Products business	68,063
Change in restricted cash	3,989	(12,796)
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	(1,542)	4,350
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(340,558)	(236,635)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	57,885	15,000
Repayment of debt	(71,936)	(25,500)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	8,189	7,057
Debt issuance costs		0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	4,000	9,000
Intercompany distributions	108,766	(63,023)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	106,904	(57,466)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	(336)	(123)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	57,488	23,183
Balance, beginning of year	4,384	9,650
Balance, end of period	61,872	32,833
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | Consolidation Adjustments [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(825,347)	(105,088)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Proceeds from the disposition of Wood Products business	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	593,192	5,536
Other	0	0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	593,192	5,536
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0	0
Intercompany distributions	232,155	99,552
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	232,155	99,552
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Balance, beginning of year	0	0
Balance, end of period	0	0
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | ROC (Subsidiary Guarantor) [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	394,700	105,407
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(335)	(240)
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Proceeds from the disposition of Wood Products business	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(455,014)	(5,536)
Other	1,701	(69)
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(453,648)	(5,845)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	375,000	15,000
Repayment of debt	(56,527)	(53,153)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0	0
Intercompany distributions	(256,921)	(24,529)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	61,552	(62,682)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	2,604	36,880
Balance, beginning of year	23,324	68,953
Balance, end of period	25,928	105,833
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Non-guarantors [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	291,478	317,407
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(122,147)	(111,775)
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture	(139,879)
Purchase of timberlands	(11,650)	(11,632)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(137,392)	(104,782)
Proceeds from the disposition of Wood Products business	68,063
Change in restricted cash	3,989	(12,796)
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	(1,542)	4,350
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(340,558)	(236,635)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	57,885	15,000
Repayment of debt	(71,936)	(25,500)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	8,189	7,057
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	4,000	9,000
Intercompany distributions	108,766	(63,023)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	106,904	(57,466)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	(336)	(123)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	57,488	23,183
Balance, beginning of year	4,384	9,650
Balance, end of period	61,872	32,833
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Consolidation Adjustments [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(741,347)	(93,088)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Proceeds from the disposition of Wood Products business	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	593,192	5,536
Other	0	0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	593,192	5,536
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0	0
Intercompany distributions	148,155	87,552
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	148,155	87,552
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Balance, beginning of year	0	0
Balance, end of period	$ 0	$ 0