Supplemental Guarantor / Non-Guarantor Financial Information Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates	$ 67,450	$ 65,523	$ 203,762	$ 190,222
Third parties	14,680	12,200	40,370	37,084
Total revenues	82,130	77,723	244,132	227,306
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	25,456	21,686	72,835	72,089
Depreciation and amortization	15,483	19,449	46,953	48,730
General and administrative	2,266	2,415	7,933	8,747
Total operating costs and expenses	43,205	43,550	127,721	129,566
Operating income (loss)	38,925	34,173	116,411	97,740
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	880	835	2,150	2,238
Interest expense	(8,585)	(11,816)	(27,368)	(35,929)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0	(7,677)	0
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets	0	(159)	0	1,863
Interest income	0	3	3	110
Other income	11	61	45	61
Total other income (expense)	(7,694)	(11,076)	(32,847)	(31,657)
Income before income taxes	31,231	23,097	83,564	66,083
State income tax expense	(42)	(40)	(145)	(440)
Net income	31,189	23,057	83,419	65,643
Allocation of Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(1,509)	(1,172)	(6,562)	(5,192)
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners	29,680	21,885	76,857	60,451
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,109	(1,097)	458	3,727
Comprehensive income	30,789	20,788	77,315	64,178
SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	880	835	2,150	2,238
Parent Company [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates	0	0	0	0
Third parties	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization		0	0	0
General and administrative	273	752	1,916	2,543
Total operating costs and expenses	273	752	1,916	2,543
Operating income (loss)	(273)	(752)	(1,916)	(2,543)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	35,020	30,890	104,215	87,762
Interest expense	(5,067)	(8,253)	(17,765)	(24,768)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			(7,677)
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets		0		0
Interest income		0	0	0
Other income	0	0	0	0
Total other income (expense)	29,953	22,637	78,773	62,994
Income before income taxes	29,680	21,885	76,857	60,451
State income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income	29,680	21,885	76,857	60,451
Allocation of Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners	29,680	21,885	76,857	60,451
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,109	(1,097)	458	3,727
Comprehensive income	30,789	20,788	77,315	64,178
Parent Company [Member] | SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	0	0	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates	64,200	62,903	187,242	178,113
Third parties	12,218	10,644	31,832	29,167
Total revenues	76,418	73,547	219,074	207,280
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	22,678	19,501	65,008	64,972
Depreciation and amortization	11,855	15,867	36,136	37,980
General and administrative	1,993	1,663	6,017	6,204
Total operating costs and expenses	36,526	37,031	107,161	109,156
Operating income (loss)	39,892	36,516	111,913	98,124
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(521)	(1,191)	4,810	1,699
Interest expense	(3,518)	(3,563)	(9,603)	(11,161)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets		(159)		1,863
Interest income		2	3	5
Other income	11	61	45	61
Total other income (expense)	(3,148)	(4,015)	(2,595)	(5,295)
Income before income taxes	36,744	32,501	109,318	92,829
State income tax expense	(42)	(40)	(145)	(440)
Net income	36,702	32,461	109,173	92,389
Allocation of Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners	36,702	32,461	109,173	92,389
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1,109	(1,097)	458	3,727
Comprehensive income	37,811	31,364	109,631	96,116
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	880	835	2,150	2,238
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates	3,562	2,930	17,445	13,030
Third parties	2,462	1,556	8,538	7,917
Total revenues	6,024	4,486	25,983	20,947
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	3,090	2,495	8,752	8,038
Depreciation and amortization	3,628	3,582	10,817	10,750
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	6,718	6,077	19,569	18,788
Operating income (loss)	(694)	(1,591)	6,414	2,159
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets		0		0
Interest income		1	0	105
Other income	0	0	0	0
Total other income (expense)	0	1	0	105
Income before income taxes	(694)	(1,590)	6,414	2,264
State income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income	(694)	(1,590)	6,414	2,264
Allocation of Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners	(694)	(1,590)	6,414	2,264
Other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	(694)	(1,590)	6,414	2,264
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	0	0	0	0
Eliminations [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates	(312)	(310)	(925)	(921)
Third parties	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	(312)	(310)	(925)	(921)
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	(312)	(310)	(925)	(921)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	(312)	(310)	(925)	(921)
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(34,499)	(29,699)	(109,025)	(89,461)
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets		0		0
Interest income		0	0	0
Other income	0	0	0	0
Total other income (expense)	(34,499)	(29,699)	(109,025)	(89,461)
Income before income taxes	(34,499)	(29,699)	(109,025)	(89,461)
State income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income	(34,499)	(29,699)	(109,025)	(89,461)
Allocation of Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(1,509)	(1,172)	(6,562)	(5,192)
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners	(36,008)	(30,871)	(115,587)	(94,653)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,109)	1,097	(458)	(3,727)
Comprehensive income	(37,117)	(29,774)	(116,045)	(98,380)
Eliminations [Member] | SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of SLC Pipeline	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0