Supplemental Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Parent [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Parent [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Eliminations [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Eliminations [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 HEP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 HEP [Member] Parent [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Parent [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 HEP [Member] Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 HEP [Member] Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 HEP [Member] Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 HEP [Member] Eliminations [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 HEP [Member] Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	$ 802,163	$ 1,171,788	$ 464,059	$ 1,260,731	$ 264,490	$ (142,743)	$ 1,498	$ 0	$ 730,047	$ 1,117,988	$ 124,922	$ 100,652	$ (52,806)	$ (46,852)
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(255,090)	(178,235)	(8,056)	(4,993)	(247,034)	(173,242)	0	0	(255,090)	(178,235)	(31,099)	(29,302)	0	0	(31,099)	(29,302)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Acquisition of trucking operations	(11,301)	0	0		(11,301)		0		(11,301)		0		0
Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment	5,802	0	0		3,321		0		3,321		2,481				5,802										0
Investment in Sabine Biofuels	(3,000)	(2,000)	0	0	(3,000)	(2,000)	0	0	(3,000)	(2,000)	0	0	0	0
Advances to uncconsolidated subsidiary	(11,040)	0	0		(11,040)		0		(11,040)		0		0
Purchases of marketable securities	(672,701)	(236,315)	(672,701)	(236,315)	0	0	0	0	(672,701)	(236,315)	0	0	0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	646,301	212,216	646,301	211,286	0	930	0	0	646,301	212,216	0	0	0	0
Net cash used for investing activities	(332,128)	(233,636)	(34,456)	(30,022)	(269,054)	(174,312)	0	0	(303,510)	(204,334)	(28,618)	(29,302)	0	0
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP												231,000				231,000		0		0		0		0		0
Repayment of Notes Receivable from Related Parties						72,900		0		72,900		(72,900)				0		0								0
Net repayments under credit agreement – HEP			0		0		0		0		(56,000)				(56,000)										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												294,750			0	294,750		0		0		0		0		0
Principal tender on senior notes	(286,812)	(205,000)		(205,000)		0		0		(205,000)		(185,000)		0	0	(185,000)		0		0		0		0		0
Purchase of treasury stock	(184,947)	(190,307)	(184,947)	(190,307)	0	0	0	0	(184,947)	(190,307)	0	0	0	0
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock			73,444		0		0		73,444		73,444				146,888										0
Share Repurchases under Structured Share Repurchase Arrangement	0	8,620		8,620		0		0		8,620		0		0
Contribution from joint venture partner	0	6,000		0		0		0		0		6,000		0
Distribution upon UNEV transaction		0		0		260,922		0		260,922		(260,922)		0
Contribution from General Partner	0	0	0	0	0	(10,286)	(1,499)	0	(1,499)	(10,286)	1,499	10,286	0	0
Dividends	(485,411)	(382,610)	(485,411)	(382,610)	0	0	0	0	(485,411)	(382,610)	0	0	0	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(105,641)	(91,063)	52,806	47,314	(52,835)	(43,749)
Excess tax benefit from equity based compensation	2,739	16,021	2,739	16,021	0	0	0	0	2,739	16,021	0	0	0	0
Purchase of units for restricted grants - HEP			0		0		0		0		(3,379)	(4,919)	0	0	(3,379)	(4,919)		0		0		0		0
Other	668	(4,454)	0	0	912	(1,034)	0	0	912	(1,034)	(244)	(2,958)	0	(462)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(933,250)	(459,648)	(895,148)	(753,276)	912	322,502	(1,499)	0	(895,735)	(430,774)	(90,321)	(75,726)	52,806	46,852
Increase (decrease) for the period	(463,215)	478,504	(465,545)	477,433	(3,652)	5,447	(1)	0	(469,198)	482,880	5,983	(4,376)	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	$ 1,294,484	$ 2,057,408	$ 1,283,263		$ 0		$ 1		$ 1,283,264		$ 11,220		$ 0		$ 11,220