Supplemental Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013 Parent [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Parent [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Eliminations [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Eliminations [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 HEP [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 HEP [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 HEP [Member] Parent [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 HEP [Member] Parent [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 HEP [Member] Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 HEP [Member] Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 HEP [Member] Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 HEP [Member] Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 HEP [Member] Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 HEP [Member] Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 HEP [Member] Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 HEP [Member] Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 HEP [Member] Eliminations [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 HEP [Member] Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	$ 248,563	$ 253,905	$ 176,731	$ 253,124	$ 58,316	$ (3,659)	$ 1,499	$ 0	$ 236,546	$ 249,465	$ 29,438	$ 19,296	$ (17,421)	$ (14,856)
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(66,951)	(47,133)	(1,736)	(1,019)	(65,215)	(46,114)	0	0	(66,951)	(47,133)	0	0	0	0	(5,013)	(14,254)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(5,013)	(14,254)	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	(2,290)	0													(2,290)		0		0		0		0		(2,290)		0
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	0	(1,200)		0		(1,200)		0		(1,200)		0		0
Purchases of marketable securities	(178,251)	(106,573)	(178,251)	(106,573)	0	0	0	0	(178,251)	(106,573)	0	0	0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	143,280	100,480	143,280	100,480	0	0	0	0	143,280	100,480	0	0	0	0
Net cash used for investing activities	(104,645)	(68,680)	(36,707)	(7,112)	(65,215)	(47,314)	0	0	(101,922)	(54,426)	(2,723)	(14,254)	0	0
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP																(45,000)		0		0		0		0		(45,000)		0
Repayment of Notes Receivable from Related Parties																0		0		72,900		0		72,900		(72,900)		0
Net repayments under credit agreement – HEP															(53,000)		0		0		0		0		(53,000)		0
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP															0	294,750		0		0		0		0		294,750		0
Principal tender on senior notes															0	(157,761)		0		0		0		0		(157,761)		0
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Limited Partners Units	(73,444)	0													(73,444)		73,444		0		0		(73,444)		0		0
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	73,444	0													73,444		0						0		73,444
Purchase of treasury stock	(6,610)	(62,532)	(6,610)	(62,532)	0	0	0	0	(6,610)	(62,532)	0	0	0	0
Contribution from joint venture partner	0	5,500		0		(9,000)		0		(9,000)		14,500		0
Contribution from General Partner	0		0		0		(1,499)		(1,499)		1,499		0
Dividends	(102,163)	(126,019)	(102,163)	(126,019)	0	0	0	0	(102,163)	(126,019)	0	0	0	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0					(15,288)	(14,391)									(32,709)	(29,716)	17,421	15,325
Excess tax benefit from equity based compensation	744	3,792	744	3,792	0	0	0	0	744	3,792	0	0	0	0
Purchase of units for restricted grants - HEP															(2,719)	(1,283)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(2,719)	(1,283)	0	0
Deferred financing costs	0	(1,123)		0		0		0		0		(1,123)		0
Other	2,973	(512)	0	0	3,247	(313)	0	0	3,247	(313)	(274)	270	0	(469)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(29,175)	(104,579)	(34,585)	(184,759)	3,247	63,587	(1,499)	0	(32,837)	(121,172)	(13,759)	1,737	17,421	14,856
Increase (decrease) for the period	114,743	80,646	105,439	61,253	(3,652)	12,614	0	0	101,787	73,867	12,956	6,779	0	0
Beginning of period	1,757,699	1,578,904	1,748,808	1,575,891	3,652	(3,358)	2	2	1,752,462	1,572,535	5,237	6,369	0	0	5,237
End of period	$ 1,872,442	$ 1,659,550	$ 1,854,247	$ 1,637,144	$ 0	$ 9,256	$ 2	$ 2	$ 1,854,249	$ 1,646,402	$ 18,193	$ 13,148	$ 0	$ 0	$ 18,193