CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 132,362	$ 68,735
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	28,295	27,127
Inventory	13,093	14,518
Prepaid expenses	14,941	14,728
Other current assets	384	867
Total current assets	189,075	125,975
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	2,355,581	2,482,047
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS	88,833	81,791
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	21,809	22,251
RESTRICTED CASH	475	1,233
RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS	91,953	99,942
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	40,024	47,757
TOTAL ASSETS	2,787,750	2,860,996
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	20,837	18,160
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	82,000
Accrued taxes	3,416	3,032
Accrued payroll and benefits	3,802	8,869
Accrued interest	8,042	5,205
Deferred revenue	6,718	11,440
Other current liabilities	26,459	22,480
Total current liabilities	69,274	151,186
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	1,055,270	973,129
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	24,658	25,311
LONG-TERM LEASE LIABILITY	83,358	90,481
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	155,522	83,247
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,313,393	1,439,981
Noncontrolling interest	86,275	97,661
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,399,668	1,537,642	$ 1,641,200	$ 1,654,550
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,787,750	2,860,996
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 INVESTMENTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
RESTRICTED CASH	0	0
RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	(4,680,110)	(4,782,262)
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	(4,680,110)	(4,782,262)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt		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	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(4,680,110)	(4,782,262)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(4,680,110)	(4,782,262)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(4,680,110)	(4,782,262)
Rayonier Inc. (Parent Issuer) | Reportable Legal Entities
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	6,102	303
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid expenses	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	6,102	303
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
RESTRICTED CASH	0	0
RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	1,660,850	1,709,958
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	(23,204)	56,935
OTHER ASSETS	2	2
TOTAL ASSETS	1,643,750	1,767,198
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt		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	324,263	324,170
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
LONG-TERM LEASE LIABILITY	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,313,393	1,439,981
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,313,393	1,439,981
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,643,750	1,767,198
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	107,482	45,792
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	1,015	4,113
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid expenses	1,237	1,361
Other current assets	93	111
Total current assets	109,827	51,377
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	16,305	16,568
RESTRICTED CASH	0	0
RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS	31,075	32,253
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	3,019,260	3,072,304
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	(621,951)	(643,960)
OTHER ASSETS	(2,331)	(67)
TOTAL ASSETS	2,552,185	2,528,475
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	4,243	2,866
Current maturities of long-term debt		82,000
Accrued taxes	127	59
Accrued payroll and benefits	2,291	5,585
Accrued interest	1,948	2,158
Deferred revenue	0	0
Other current liabilities	4,761	4,453
Total current liabilities	13,370	97,121
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	731,007	648,959
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	25,342	25,996
LONG-TERM LEASE LIABILITY	26,842	28,001
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	94,774	18,440
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,660,850	1,709,958
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,660,850	1,709,958
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,552,185	2,528,475
Non- guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	18,778	22,640
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	27,280	23,014
Inventory	13,093	14,518
Prepaid expenses	13,704	13,367
Other current assets	291	756
Total current assets	73,146	74,295
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	2,355,581	2,482,047
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS	88,833	81,791
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	5,504	5,683
RESTRICTED CASH	475	1,233
RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS	60,878	67,689
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLE	645,155	587,025
OTHER ASSETS	42,353	47,822
TOTAL ASSETS	3,271,925	3,347,585
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	16,594	15,294
Current maturities of long-term debt		0
Accrued taxes	3,289	2,973
Accrued payroll and benefits	1,511	3,284
Accrued interest	0	0
Deferred revenue	6,718	11,440
Other current liabilities	21,698	18,027
Total current liabilities	49,810	51,018
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	(684)	(685)
LONG-TERM LEASE LIABILITY	56,516	62,480
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	60,748	64,807
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	3,019,260	3,072,304
Noncontrolling interest	86,275	97,661
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	3,105,535	3,169,965
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	$ 3,271,925	$ 3,347,585