Debt Debt Covenants (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011	Apr. 09, 2012
Debt Instrument, Covenant Compliance		the Company was in compliance with all covenants
Long-term Debt		$ 1,270,052,000		$ 847,339,000
Covenant EBITDA to Consolidated Interest Expense [Member]
Debt Covenant Requirement, Ratio		2.50 to 1
Debt Covenant Requirement, Actual at Period End, Ratio		12.57 to 1
Debt Covenant Requirement, Amount Favorable or (Unfavorable), Ratio		10.07
Leverage Ratio [Member]
Debt Covenant Requirement, Percentage		65.00%
Debt Covenant Requirement, Actual at Period End, Percentage		45.00%
Debt Covenant Requirement, Amount Favorable or (Unfavorable) at Period End, Percentage		20.00%
Subsidiary Debt as a Percentage of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets [Member]
Debt Covenant Requirement, Percentage		15.00%
Debt Covenant Requirement, Actual at Period End, Percentage		0.00%
Debt Covenant Requirement, Amount Favorable or (Unfavorable) at Period End, Percentage		15.00%
RFR Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges to RFR Fixed Charges Ratio [Member]
Debt Covenant Requirement, Ratio		2.50 to 1
Debt Covenant Requirement, Actual at Period End, Ratio		15.53 to 1
Debt Covenant Requirement, Amount Favorable or (Unfavorable), Ratio		13.03
April 2011 Line of Credit as Amended October 2012 [Member]
Long-term Debt		275,000,000	[1]
April 2011 Line of Credit as Amended October 2012 [Member] | Covenant EBITDA to Consolidated Interest Expense [Member]
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description		interest coverage ratio based on the facility’s definition of EBITDA ("Covenant EBITDA"). Covenant EBITDA consists of earnings from continuing operations before the cumulative effect of accounting changes and any provision for dispositions, income taxes, interest expense, depreciation, depletion, amortization and the non-cash cost basis of real estate sold.
April 2011 Line of Credit as Amended October 2012 [Member] | Leverage Ratio [Member]
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description		The leverage ratio was revised to provide additional borrowing capacity to permit funded debt of Rayonier Inc. and its subsidiaries up to 65 percent of consolidated net worth, plus the amount of consolidated funded debt.
April 2011 Line of Credit as Amended October 2012 [Member] | Subsidiary Debt as a Percentage of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets [Member]
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description		limit debt at subsidiaries (excluding Rayonier Operating Company LLC and TRS, which are borrowers under the agreement) to 15 percent of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets. Consolidated Net Tangible Assets is defined as total assets less the sum of total current liabilities and intangible assets.
Term Credit Agreement due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description		contains various covenants customary to credit agreements with borrowers having investment-grade debt ratings. These covenants are substantially identical to those of the credit facility
Long-term Debt		300,000,000		0
Installment note due 2014 at a fixed interest rate of 8.64%
Long-term Debt		112,500,000		112,500,000
Installment note due 2014 at a fixed interest rate of 8.64% | RFR Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges to RFR Fixed Charges Ratio [Member]
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description		RFR may not incur additional debt unless, at the time of incurrence, and after giving pro forma effect to the receipt and application of the proceeds of such debt, RFR meets or exceeds a minimum ratio of cash flow to fixed charges. RFR’s ability to make certain quarterly distributions to Rayonier Inc. is limited to an amount equal to RFR’s "available cash," which consists of its opening cash balance plus proceeds from permitted borrowings.
Installment note due 2014 at a fixed interest rate of 8.64% | Reinvestment of Excess Timberland Sales Proceeds [Member]
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description		An asset sales covenant in the RFR installment note related agreements requires the Company, subject to certain exceptions, to either reinvest cumulative timberland sale proceeds for individual sales greater than $10 million (the "excess proceeds") in timberland-related investments or, once the amount of excess proceeds not reinvested exceeds $50 million, to offer the note holders prepayment of the notes ratably in the amount of the excess proceeds.
Debt Covenant Requirement, Date of Repayment Offer	April 2012
Debt Covenant Requirement, Limit of Non-reinvestment of Excess Timberland Sales Proceeds		50,000,000
Debt Covenant Requirement, Amount of Repayment Offer					59,900,000
Debt Covenant Requirement, Excess Timberland Sales Proceeds After Repayment Offer		zero
Debt Covenant Requirement, Excess Timberland Sales Proceeds		$ 0		$ 37,500,000

[1] Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility include $150 million classified in current liabilities due to the Company's intent to repay this amount in January 2013.