SO http://is.gd/JvjIp6

by panchroma

HTML

<link rel="stylesheet" href="//netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.1.1/css/bootstrap.min.css">
<script src="//netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.1.1/js/bootstrap.min.js"></script>
<nav class="navbar navbar-default navbar-fixed-top " role="navigation">
  <div class="container-fluid">
    <!-- Brand and toggle get grouped for better mobile display -->
    <div class="navbar-header">
      <button type="button" class="navbar-toggle" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#bs-example-navbar-collapse-1">
        <span class="sr-only">Toggle navigation</span>
        <span class="icon-bar"></span>
        <span class="icon-bar"></span>
        <span class="icon-bar"></span>
      </button>
      <a class="navbar-brand" href="#">Brand</a>
    </div>

    <!-- Collect the nav links, forms, and other content for toggling -->
    <div class="collapse navbar-collapse" id="bs-example-navbar-collapse-1">
      <ul class="nav navbar-nav">
        <li class="active"><a href="#">Link</a></li>
        <li><a href="#">Link</a></li>
        <li class="dropdown">
          <a href="#" class="dropdown-toggle" data-toggle="dropdown">Dropdown <b class="caret"></b></a>
          <ul class="dropdown-menu">
            <li><a href="#">Action</a></li>
            <li><a href="#">Another action</a></li>
            <li><a href="#">Something else here</a></li>
            <li class="divider"></li>
            <li><a href="#">Separated link</a></li>
            <li class="divider"></li>
            <li><a href="#">One more separated link</a></li>
          </ul>
        </li>
      </ul>
      <form class="navbar-form navbar-left" role="search">
        <div class="form-group">
          <input type="text" class="form-control" placeholder="Search">
        </div>
        <button type="submit" class="btn btn-default">Submit</button>
      </form>
      <ul class="nav navbar-nav navbar-right">
        <li><a href="#">Link</a></li>
        <li class="dropdown">
          <a href="#"...

CSS

.navbar{  /* hide navbar by default */
    display:none;
}


body{ /* for demo purpose only */
    height:2000px;
    padding-top:100px;
}

JavaScript

$(document).ready(function(){
 $(window).scroll(function(){
  var y = $(window).scrollTop();
     // 100px is scroll distance to start bringing in navbar it fades in over the next 20px
  if( y > 100 ){
      $(".navbar").css({ 'display':'block','opacity':(y-100)/120});
  } else {
      $(".navbar").css({'display':'block', 'opacity':0});
  }
 });
})