Supplemental Guarantor / Non-Guarantor Financial Information Condensed Consolidating Statement of 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
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates									$ 333,116	$ 292,221	$ 275,196
Third parties									68,927	66,654	57,349
Total revenues	$ 112,526	$ 92,610	$ 94,897	$ 102,010	$ 97,251	$ 88,389	$ 83,479	$ 89,756	402,043	358,875	332,545
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)									123,986	105,556	106,185
Depreciation and amortization									70,428	63,306	62,529
General and administrative									12,532	12,556	10,824
Total operating costs and expenses									206,946	181,418	179,538
Operating income (loss)	54,549	38,924	47,111	54,513	50,952	43,617	39,745	43,143	195,097	177,457	153,007
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Equity in earnings of equity method investments									14,213	4,803	2,987
Interest Income									440	526	3
Interest expense									(52,552)	(37,418)	(36,101)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0	0	(7,677)
Gain on sale of assets and other									677	486	82
Total other income (expense)									(37,222)	(31,603)	(40,706)
Income before Income Taxes	42,995	28,464	39,569	46,847	43,236	35,956	31,394	35,268	157,875	145,854	112,301
State income tax expense									(285)	(228)	(235)
Net income									157,590	145,626	112,066
Allocation of net loss attributable to predecessor									10,657	2,702	1,747
Allocation of net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									(10,006)	(11,120)	(8,288)
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners	$ 41,361	$ 34,785	$ 39,120	$ 42,975	$ 40,519	$ 34,485	$ 30,401	$ 31,803	158,241	137,208	105,525
Other comprehensive income (loss)									(99)	236	98
Comprehensive income attributable to the Partnership									158,142	137,444	105,623
SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of equity method investments									14,213	4,803	2,987
Parent [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates									0	0	0
Third parties									0	0	0
Total revenues									0	0	0
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)									0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
General and administrative									3,804	3,616	2,658
Total operating costs and expenses									3,804	3,616	2,658
Operating income (loss)									(3,804)	(3,616)	(2,658)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									193,432	161,097	138,691
Interest Income									0	0	0
Interest expense									(31,387)	(20,273)	(22,831)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt											(7,677)
Gain on sale of assets and other									0	0	0
Total other income (expense)									162,045	140,824	108,183
Income before Income Taxes									158,241	137,208	105,525
State income tax expense									0	0	0
Net income									158,241	137,208	105,525
Allocation of net loss attributable to predecessor									0	0
Allocation of net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners									158,241	137,208	105,525
Other comprehensive income (loss)									(99)	236	98
Comprehensive income attributable to the Partnership									158,142	137,444	105,623
Parent [Member] | SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of equity method investments									0	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates									307,049	269,277	254,364
Third parties									47,326	47,189	45,711
Total revenues									354,375	316,466	300,075
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)									111,181	94,087	94,766
Depreciation and amortization									55,083	48,302	47,955
General and administrative									8,728	8,940	8,166
Total operating costs and expenses									174,992	151,329	150,887
Operating income (loss)									179,383	165,137	149,188
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									14,634	11,915	4,858
Interest Income									421	526	3
Interest expense									(21,165)	(17,145)	(13,270)
Gain on sale of assets and other									702	535	82
Total other income (expense)									8,805	634	(5,340)
Income before Income Taxes									188,188	165,771	143,848
State income tax expense									(285)	(228)	(235)
Net income									187,903	165,543	143,613
Allocation of net loss attributable to predecessor									10,657	2,702	1,747
Allocation of net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									(5,128)	(7,148)	(6,669)
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners									193,432	161,097	138,691
Other comprehensive income (loss)									(99)	236	98
Comprehensive income attributable to the Partnership									193,333	161,333	138,789
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of equity method investments									14,213	4,803	2,987
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates									26,067	22,944	22,073
Third parties									21,601	19,465	11,638
Total revenues									47,668	42,409	33,711
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)									12,805	11,469	12,660
Depreciation and amortization									15,345	15,004	14,574
General and administrative									0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses									28,150	26,473	27,234
Operating income (loss)									19,518	15,936	6,477
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Interest Income									19	0	0
Interest expense									0	0	0
Gain on sale of assets and other									(25)	(49)	0
Total other income (expense)									(6)	(49)	0
Income before Income Taxes									19,512	15,887	6,477
State income tax expense									0	0	0
Net income									19,512	15,887	6,477
Allocation of net loss attributable to predecessor									0	0
Allocation of net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									(4,878)	(3,972)	(1,619)
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners									14,634	11,915	4,858
Other comprehensive income (loss)									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to the Partnership									14,634	11,915	4,858
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Equity Method Investee [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of equity method investments									0	0	0
Eliminations [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Affiliates									0	0	(1,241)
Third parties									0	0	0
Total revenues									0	0	(1,241)
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Operations (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)									0	0	(1,241)
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
General and administrative									0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses									0	0	(1,241)
Operating income (loss)									0	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									(208,066)	(173,012)	(143,549)
Interest Income									0	0	0
Interest expense									0	0	0
Gain on sale of assets and other									0	0	0
Total other income (expense)									(208,066)	(173,012)	(143,549)
Income before Income Taxes									(208,066)	(173,012)	(143,549)
State income tax expense									0	0	0
Net income									(208,066)	(173,012)	(143,549)
Allocation of net loss attributable to predecessor									0	0
Allocation of net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									0	0	0
Net income attributable to Holly Energy Partners									(208,066)	(173,012)	(143,549)
Other comprehensive income (loss)									99	(236)	(98)
Comprehensive income attributable to the Partnership									(207,967)	(173,248)	(143,647)
Eliminations [Member] | SLC Pipeline [Member]
Operating costs and expenses [Abstract]
Equity in earnings of equity method investments									$ 0	$ 0	$ 0