CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 154,613	$ 148,374
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	32,031	26,151
Inventory	26,221	15,703
Prepaid expenses	17,283	17,016
Other current assets	738	609
Total current assets	230,886	207,853
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	2,395,625	2,401,327
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	76,287	85,609
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	22,541	22,751
RESTRICTED CASH	9,867	8,080
RIGHT OF USE ASSETS (NOTE 3)	105,745	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	43,259	55,046
TOTAL ASSETS	2,884,210	2,780,666
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	25,958	18,019
Accrued taxes	4,028	3,178
Accrued payroll and benefits	4,732	10,416
Accrued interest	8,106	5,007
Deferred revenue	8,468	10,447
Other current liabilities	27,050	16,474
Total current liabilities	78,342	63,541
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	972,707	972,567
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	29,812	29,800
LONG-TERM LEASE LIABILITY (NOTE 3)	95,009	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	67,140	60,208
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,542,567	1,556,873
Noncontrolling interest	98,633	97,677
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,641,200	1,654,550	$ 1,736,173	$ 1,692,940
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,884,210	2,780,666
Consolidating Adjustments
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid expenses	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
RESTRICTED CASH	0	0
RIGHT OF USE ASSETS (NOTE 3)	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	(4,814,189)	(4,856,774)
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	(4,814,189)	(4,856,774)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	0	0
Deferred revenue	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
LONG-TERM LEASE LIABILITY (NOTE 3)	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(4,814,189)	(4,856,774)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(4,814,189)	(4,856,774)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(4,814,189)	(4,856,774)
Rayonier Inc. (Parent Issuer) | Reportable Legal Entities
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	16,590	361
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid expenses	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	16,590	361
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
RESTRICTED CASH	0	0
RIGHT OF USE ASSETS (NOTE 3)	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	1,799,713	1,833,899
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	56,251	49,461
OTHER ASSETS	2	2
TOTAL ASSETS	1,872,556	1,883,723
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	6,094	3,047
Deferred revenue	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	6,094	3,047
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	323,895	323,803
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
LONG-TERM LEASE LIABILITY (NOTE 3)	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,542,567	1,556,873
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,542,567	1,556,873
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,872,556	1,883,723
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	98,805	104,777
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	1,017	3,752
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid expenses	1,130	977
Other current assets	99	108
Total current assets	101,051	109,614
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	16,690	16,940
RESTRICTED CASH	0	0
RIGHT OF USE ASSETS (NOTE 3)	35,236
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	3,014,476	3,022,875
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	(643,442)	(638,424)
OTHER ASSETS	10,030	19,244
TOTAL ASSETS	2,534,041	2,530,249
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	4,403	1,616
Accrued taxes	64	8
Accrued payroll and benefits	3,093	5,848
Accrued interest	2,012	1,960
Deferred revenue	0	0
Other current liabilities	5,765	216
Total current liabilities	15,337	9,648
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	648,812	648,764
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	30,497	30,484
LONG-TERM LEASE LIABILITY (NOTE 3)	30,078
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	9,604	7,454
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,799,713	1,833,899
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,799,713	1,833,899
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,534,041	2,530,249
Non- guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	39,218	43,236
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	31,014	22,399
Inventory	26,221	15,703
Prepaid expenses	16,153	16,039
Other current assets	639	501
Total current assets	113,245	97,878
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	2,395,625	2,401,327
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	76,287	85,609
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	5,851	5,811
RESTRICTED CASH	9,867	8,080
RIGHT OF USE ASSETS (NOTE 3)	70,509
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	587,191	588,963
OTHER ASSETS	33,227	35,800
TOTAL ASSETS	3,291,802	3,223,468
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	21,555	16,403
Accrued taxes	3,964	3,170
Accrued payroll and benefits	1,639	4,568
Accrued interest	0	0
Deferred revenue	8,468	10,447
Other current liabilities	21,285	16,258
Total current liabilities	56,911	50,846
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	(685)	(684)
LONG-TERM LEASE LIABILITY (NOTE 3)	64,931
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	57,536	52,754
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	3,014,476	3,022,875
Noncontrolling interest	98,633	97,677
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	3,113,109	3,120,552
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	$ 3,291,802	$ 3,223,468