Supplemental Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Parent [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Parent [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Eliminations [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Eliminations [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 HEP [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 HEP [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 HEP [Member] Parent [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Parent [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 HEP [Member] Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 HEP [Member] Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 HEP [Member] Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 HEP [Member] Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 HEP [Member] Eliminations [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	$ 451,515	$ 429,503	$ 241,004	$ 347,534	$ 162,285	$ 45,516	$ 1,499	$ 0	$ 404,788	$ 393,050	$ 81,542	$ 67,011	$ (34,815)	$ (30,558)
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(153,942)	(104,401)	(5,025)	(1,679)	(148,917)	(102,722)	0	0	(153,942)	(104,401)	0	0	0	0	(16,861)	(23,619)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(16,861)	(23,619)	0	0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	(5,802)	0													(5,802)		0		(3,321)		0		(3,321)		(2,481)		0
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	(2,000)	(2,000)	0	0	(2,000)	(2,000)	0	0	(2,000)	(2,000)	0	0	0	0
Purchases of marketable securities	(399,154)	(166,429)	(399,154)	(166,429)	0	0	0	0	(399,154)	(166,429)	0	0	0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	398,762	151,996	398,762	151,066	0	930	0	0	398,762	151,996	0	0	0	0
Net cash used for investing activities	(181,093)	(144,453)	(5,417)	(17,042)	(161,296)	(103,792)	0	0	(166,713)	(120,834)	(14,380)	(23,619)	0	0
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP																(30,000)		0		0		0		0		(30,000)		0
Repayment of Notes Receivable from Related Parties																0		0		72,900		0		72,900		(72,900)		0
Net repayments under credit agreement – HEP															(66,000)		0		0		0		0		(66,000)		0
Repayments of Senior Debt	(286,812)		(286,812)		0		0		(286,812)		0		0
Redemption Premium	(14,161)	0	14,161		0		0		14,161		0		0
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes - HEP															0	294,750		0		0		0		0		294,750		0
Principal tender on senior notes	(286,812)	(5,000)		5,000		0		0		5,000		0		0	0	(185,000)		0		0		0		0		(185,000)		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	(159,432)	(189,771)	(159,432)	(189,771)	0	0	0	0	(159,432)	(189,771)	0	0	0	0
Share Repurchases under Structured Share Repurchase Arrangement	0	(100,000)		100,000		0		0		100,000		0		0
Contribution from joint venture partner	0	6,000		0		0		0		0		6,000		0
Contribution from General Partner	0	0	0	0	0	(9,000)	1,499	0	1,499	(9,000)	(1,499)	9,000	0	0
Dividends	(264,867)	(249,958)	(264,867)	(249,958)	0	0	0	0	(264,867)	(249,958)	0	0	0	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0					(34,604)	(28,944)									(69,419)	(59,977)	34,815	31,033
Excess tax benefit from equity based compensation	1,037	4,762	1,037	4,762	0	0	0	0	1,037	4,762	0	0	0	0
Purchase of units for restricted grants - HEP															(2,934)	(4,533)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(2,934)	(4,533)	0	0
Deferred financing costs	0	(3,229)		0		(67)		0		(67)		(3,162)		0
Other	2,184	(833)	0	0	2,457	(635)	0	0	2,457	(635)	(273)	277	0	(475)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(678,701)	(491,756)	(650,791)	(539,967)	2,457	63,198	(1,499)	0	(649,833)	(476,769)	(63,683)	(45,545)	34,815	30,558
Increase (decrease) for the period	(408,279)	(206,706)	(415,204)	(209,475)	3,446	4,922	0	0	(411,758)	(204,553)	3,479	(2,153)	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	$ 1,349,420	$ 1,372,198	$ 1,333,604	$ 1,366,416	$ 7,098	$ 1,564	$ 2	$ 2	$ 1,340,704	$ 1,367,982	$ 8,716	$ 4,216	$ 0	$ 0	$ 8,716