Earnings Per Common Share - Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Income from continuing operations									$ 217,770	$ 43,941	$ 54,443
Less: Net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interest									5,798	(2,224)	(1,491)
Income from continuing operations attributable to Rayonier Inc.									211,972	46,165	55,934
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Rayonier Inc.									0	0	43,403
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	$ 48,324	$ 39,355	$ 109,821	$ 14,472	$ 10,285	$ 19,669	$ (1,536)	$ 17,747	$ 211,972	$ 46,165	$ 99,337
Shares used for determining basic earnings per common share									122,585,200	125,385,085	126,458,710
Dilutive effect of:
Stock options (in shares)									92,473	116,792	323,125
Performance and restricted shares (in shares)									134,650	39,863	149,292
Assumed conversion of Senior Exchangeable Notes (in shares)									0	358,449	2,149,982
Assumed conversion of warrants (in shares)									0	0	1,957,154
Shares used for determining diluted earnings per common share									122,812,323	125,900,189	131,038,263
Basic earnings per common share attributable to Rayonier Inc.:
Continuing Operations (in dollars per share)									$ 1.73	$ 0.37	$ 0.44
Discontinued Operations (in dollars per share)									0.00	0.00	0.34
Net Income (in dollars per share)	$ 0.39	$ 0.32	$ 0.90	$ 0.12	$ 0.08	$ 0.16	$ (0.01)	$ 0.14	1.73	0.37	0.78
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to Rayonier Inc.:
Continuing Operations (in dollars per share)									1.73	0.37	0.43
Discontinued Operations (in dollars per share)									0.00	0.00	0.33
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 0.39	$ 0.32	$ 0.89	$ 0.12	$ 0.08	$ 0.16	$ (0.01)	$ 0.14	$ 1.73	$ 0.37	$ 0.76