Consolidating Financial Statements - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ 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
Income Statement [Abstract]
SALES	$ 220,464	$ 171,421	$ 261,550	$ 134,843	$ 137,111	$ 151,657	$ 115,801	$ 140,305	$ 788,278	$ 544,874	$ 603,521
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales	161,918	116,624	138,194	107,971	114,132	116,044	103,689	107,234	524,707	441,099	483,860
Selling and general expenses									42,785	45,750	47,883
Other operating (income) expense, net									(34,991)	(19,759)	(26,511)
Costs and Expenses, Total									532,501	467,090	505,232
OPERATING INCOME									255,777	77,784	98,289
Interest expense									(32,245)	(31,699)	(44,248)
Interest and miscellaneous income (expense), net									(698)	(3,003)	(9,199)
Equity in income from subsidiaries									0	0	0
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES									222,834	43,082	44,842
Income tax (expense) benefit									(5,064)	859	9,601
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS									217,770	43,941	54,443
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense of $0, $0 and $20,578									0	0	43,403
NET INCOME	50,509	40,624	111,579	15,058	9,440	19,181	(2,860)	18,180	217,770	43,941	97,846
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									5,798	(2,224)	(1,491)
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
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent									211,972	46,165	55,934
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $0, $1,066 and ($78)									6,322	(32,451)	(15,847)
New Zealand joint venture cash flow hedges									22,822	(9,961)	(1,855)
Actuarial change and amortization of pension and postretirement plan liabilities									5,533	2,933	54,046
Total other comprehensive income									34,677	(39,479)	36,344
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									252,447	4,462	134,190
Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									9,555	(13,027)	(6,462)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.									242,892	17,489	140,652
Consolidating Adjustments
Income Statement [Abstract]
SALES									0	0	0
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales									0	0	0
Selling and general expenses									0	0	0
Other operating (income) expense, net									0	0	0
Costs and Expenses, Total									0	0	0
OPERATING INCOME									0	0	0
Interest expense									0	0	0
Interest and miscellaneous income (expense), net									0	0	0
Equity in income from subsidiaries									(462,107)	(126,611)	(242,117)
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES									(462,107)	(126,611)	(242,117)
Income tax (expense) benefit									0	0	0
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS											(242,117)
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense of $0, $0 and $20,578											0
NET INCOME									(462,107)	(126,611)	(242,117)
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.									(462,107)	(126,611)	(242,117)
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $0, $1,066 and ($78)									(2,782)	21,567	23,052
New Zealand joint venture cash flow hedges									(22,608)	10,042	2,412
Actuarial change and amortization of pension and postretirement plan liabilities									(5,533)	(2,933)	(142,220)
Total other comprehensive income									(30,923)	28,676	(116,756)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									(493,030)	(97,935)	(358,873)
Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.									(493,030)	(97,935)	(358,873)
Rayonier Inc.(Parent Issuer)
Income Statement [Abstract]
SALES									0	0	0
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales									0	0	0
Selling and general expenses									0	0	0
Other operating (income) expense, net									0	0	0
Costs and Expenses, Total									0	0	0
OPERATING INCOME									0	0	0
Interest expense									(12,555)	(12,703)	(13,247)
Interest and miscellaneous income (expense), net									8,613	7,789	9,186
Equity in income from subsidiaries									215,914	51,079	103,398
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES									211,972	46,165	99,337
Income tax (expense) benefit									0	0	0
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS											99,337
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense of $0, $0 and $20,578											0
NET INCOME									211,972	46,165	99,337
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.									211,972	46,165	99,337
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $0, $1,066 and ($78)									2,780	(21,567)	(11,525)
New Zealand joint venture cash flow hedges									22,607	(10,042)	(1,206)
Actuarial change and amortization of pension and postretirement plan liabilities									5,533	2,933	54,046
Total other comprehensive income									30,920	(28,676)	41,315
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									242,892	17,489	140,652
Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.									242,892	17,489	140,652
Subsidiary Guarantors
Income Statement [Abstract]
SALES									0	0	0
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales									0	0	0
Selling and general expenses									15,253	20,468	14,578
Other operating (income) expense, net									448	(404)	3,275
Costs and Expenses, Total									15,701	20,064	17,853
OPERATING INCOME									(15,701)	(20,064)	(17,853)
Interest expense									(16,775)	(9,135)	(23,571)
Interest and miscellaneous income (expense), net									2,750	2,612	(3,100)
Equity in income from subsidiaries									246,193	75,532	138,719
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES									216,467	48,945	94,195
Income tax (expense) benefit									(553)	2,134	9,203
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS											103,398
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense of $0, $0 and $20,578											0
NET INCOME									215,914	51,079	103,398
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.									215,914	51,079	103,398
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $0, $1,066 and ($78)									(4,606)	7,922	(11,527)
New Zealand joint venture cash flow hedges									21,422	(10,195)	(1,206)
Actuarial change and amortization of pension and postretirement plan liabilities									5,533	2,933	54,046
Total other comprehensive income									22,349	660	41,313
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									238,263	51,739	144,711
Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.									238,263	51,739	144,711
Non- guarantors
Income Statement [Abstract]
SALES									788,278	544,874	603,521
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales									524,707	441,099	483,860
Selling and general expenses									27,532	25,282	33,305
Other operating (income) expense, net									(35,439)	(19,355)	(29,786)
Costs and Expenses, Total									516,800	447,026	487,379
OPERATING INCOME									271,478	97,848	116,142
Interest expense									(2,915)	(9,861)	(7,430)
Interest and miscellaneous income (expense), net									(12,061)	(13,404)	(15,285)
Equity in income from subsidiaries									0	0	0
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES									256,502	74,583	93,427
Income tax (expense) benefit									(4,511)	(1,275)	398
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS											93,825
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense of $0, $0 and $20,578											43,403
NET INCOME									251,991	73,308	137,228
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									5,798	(2,224)	(1,491)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.									246,193	75,532	138,719
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $0, $1,066 and ($78)									10,930	(40,373)	(15,847)
New Zealand joint venture cash flow hedges									1,401	234	(1,855)
Actuarial change and amortization of pension and postretirement plan liabilities									0	0	88,174
Total other comprehensive income									12,331	(40,139)	70,472
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									264,322	33,169	207,700
Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									9,555	(13,027)	(6,462)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.									$ 254,767	$ 46,196	$ 214,162